It happened again—just hours after the first attack, Iranian drones were spotted buzzing through Israeli airspace late Monday night. The second wave was bigger. Faster. More aggressive. And it didn’t take long for Israeli air defenses to light up the skies in response.
Sirens rang out across the north—Haifa, Acre, smaller towns too. Panic, then protocol. Locals ducked into shelters as anti-air systems fired interceptors into the night. Most of the drones were downed before impact. But not all. Some slipped through, sparking fires, breaking windows, and rattling a population already on edge.
Iran said little. As usual. Just one line on state TV calling the strikes “defensive.” But analysts aren’t buying that. A second strike on the same day? That’s not defense—it’s message-sending.
“This wasn’t just another show of force,” said an Israeli former military official, speaking anonymously. “It was a signal. And it’s loud.”
Back in Israel, nerves were frayed. Parents kept children close. Families stayed in stairwells overnight. Some never even made it back to their beds after the morning strike.
Prime Minister Netanyahu, in a statement well past midnight, said Israel “will not hesitate to act.” No specific action mentioned—but the tone was serious.
Oil markets jumped. Brent crude pushed past $83 as investors feared wider fallout. Airlines, too, reacted. Several rerouted flights. A few canceled Tel Aviv landings altogether.
The U.S. and Europe issued the usual calls for restraint. Calm. De-escalation. But behind closed doors, officials are worried. Two attacks in one day changes the equation.
On the ground, Israel’s military moved fast. Patrols ramped up near the Lebanese border. Jets stayed active overhead. Troops shifted positions—not openly, but enough for residents to notice.
In Iran? Still quiet. No new mobilization. No big press statements. But experts say that’s part of the strategy: provoke without provoking too much. Keep allies guessing.
By sunrise Tuesday, things seemed calmer. But not peaceful. Videos were everywhere—drones lighting up the sky, fireballs, the sounds of blasts. The tension was thick. You could feel it.
No one’s saying what comes next. But no one’s breathing easy, either.
