'Complex days for Israel' as it prepares for possible Iranian response

Israeli air force continues to shoot down Iranian drones but significant retaliation less likely

The Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, stands nearly empty as Israel's Home Front Command banned public gatherings following an Israeli military strike on Iran, in Jerusalem's Old City, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP Photo / Mahmoud Illean)Show less

As fears mount of a sustained operation against Iran, and the prospect of immediate Iranian retaliatory attacks against Israel, officials say the Israeli military remains on high-alert.

Israel’s air force was still intercepting Iranian drones on Friday afternoon, which were launched in a barrage of more than 100. There were no reports of drones striking Israeli territory.

The army said civilians no longer needed to remain close to bomb shelters, after earlier instructions to remain near those sites until further notice.

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Israel carried out a large-scale attack on Iran, with military officials saying Israeli jets were still operating over the country, suggesting the possibility of yet more strikes after Friday morning’s devastating barrage that killed senior Iranian military and nuclear officials and damaged nuclear, air defence and ballistic missile installations.

Israel’s air force was continuing with strikes on Iran, chief military spokesman Brig Gen Effie Defrin said. “At this hour, the IDF is continuing the attack plan,” he told a press conference on Friday afternoon. Brig Gen Defrin added that “the operation is only beginning” and that Israel “is preparing for a response from Iran”.

Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport was closed on Friday as Israel's military stood on high alert for possible retaliatory strikes from Iran. AP

“The threat isn't over yet, but we have been able to intercept successfully a lot of those UAVs on the way,” a military official told The National. “We are also ready for the possibility of ballistic missiles. We know they have hundreds of ballistic missiles ready.”

The official added that “these are complex days for the Israeli people, where we understand Iran might carry out attacks against the Israeli population”. Israeli media also reported that diplomatic missions around the world were temporarily closed and consular services halted.

Municipalities across Israel were working only on essential matters and Jewish clerics issued a rare plea for civilians not to pray in synagogues for the coming Shabbat, as well as an invitation to recite three particular psalms.

Israel's main international airport was also shut, as were some border crossings. Israeli airlines moved planes out of Ben Gurion International Airport to other countries. The airport has been a major target in previous Iranian and other proxy attacks.

Most people in Israel and occupied East Jerusalem who The National spoke to on Friday said the situation was calm, although there were reports of panic buying. Iran launched two major attacks against Israel in April and October of 2024, which were mostly repelled by Israel’s air defences and with help from allies.

The military official added that the Home Front Command broadcast an alert for people to approach bomb shelters early in the morning “even though there weren't missiles on the way”.

Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City as shops are closed following the attack. Reuters

“We understood there was a possibility for us to face an immediate reaction,” they added. As it became clearer that Israel contained an initial wave of drones, the military was better placed to issue warnings to specific areas of the country, rather than the initial country-wide shelter orders.

In the occupied West Bank, Palestinians reported widespread closure of Israeli checkpoints and road barriers. The military intensified restrictions on movement, which had already increased in the territory since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel, with reports suggesting that Friday had seen some of the worst blocks since the start of the Gaza war.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said it was “facing extreme difficulty in reaching sick cases due to the [Israeli] occupying forces preventing ambulances from moving, knowing that there are cases that need to be transferred to hospitals”.