Israel Says ‘No Interceptor Shortage’ After Reports of Scarcity as Iranian Missiles Injure at Least 8

15 March 2027, Israel, Tel Aviv: People watch the site of a projectile impact following an Iranian strike on Tel Aviv. (dpa)
15 March 2027, Israel, Tel Aviv: People watch the site of a projectile impact following an Iranian strike on Tel Aviv. (dpa)
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Israel Says ‘No Interceptor Shortage’ After Reports of Scarcity as Iranian Missiles Injure at Least 8

15 March 2027, Israel, Tel Aviv: People watch the site of a projectile impact following an Iranian strike on Tel Aviv. (dpa)
15 March 2027, Israel, Tel Aviv: People watch the site of a projectile impact following an Iranian strike on Tel Aviv. (dpa)

An Israeli military source on Sunday denied media reports that Israel was running low on missile interceptors crucial to its air defenses, adding that the army was "continuously monitoring the situation". 

Citing US officials, news outlet Semafor had reported that Israel had informed the United States that it was "running critically low on ballistic missile interceptors", as the US-Israeli war against Iran entered its third week. 

"As of now, there is no interceptor shortage. The Israeli army is prepared for prolonged combat. We are continuously monitoring the situation," the military source said, in response to media queries. 

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also dismissed the reports when questioned by journalists earlier on Sunday. 

At least eight people were injured in Israel Sunday following repeated missile launches from Iran, at least two of which contained cluster munitions according to Israeli authorities. 

Israeli police released footage from a CCTV camera in the Tel Aviv area showing an impact on a road, saying that it was from "cluster munitions" that caused "damage at several locations". 

Bomblets and shrapnel from the missile wounded four people in various parts of the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, according to the Magen David Adom (MDA) rescue service. 

A man in his 60s was hospitalized with moderate injuries to his head from broken glass, while three were treated due to the shock waves from the blast. 

In another barrage shortly before noon, two men aged 62 and 44 reported minor injuries "from pieces of asphalt that struck them as a result of the blast", according to MDA. 

During a salvo toward the Tel Aviv area at around 3:00 am (0100 GMT), a man and a woman in their 80s suffered light injuries, from glass shards and smoke inhalation respectively. 

Another Iranian missile directed at Israel's southernmost city of Eilat was intercepted before reaching the target, without causing injuries. The municipality of Eilat quoted security sources saying it was a cluster missile. 

By late midday on Sunday, seven missile salvos were launched from Iran toward the State of Israel, some of which were intercepted. 

Saar on Sunday accused Iran of targeting civilian areas, during a visit to the northern Arab Israeli town of Zarzir, hit two days prior by shrapnel from an Iranian missile that lightly wounded almost 60 residents. 

"While we are targeting military objectives... the Iranian regime is targeting civilians," Saar said. 

"All the casualties we faced during these two weeks of confrontation... are civilians from Iranian missiles. This is of course a war crime," he added. 

His words were echoed by police superintendent Shlomi Schlezinger while speaking near the site of one of the impacts on Sunday. 

Iran is "always targeting crowded places, with people, the big major cities," he said in central Tel Aviv. 

He attributed the relatively low number of Israeli casualties to civilians' adherence to safety instructions. 

"We have a lot of collateral damage to cars and buildings, as you can see," he said. 

"We're used to, in the last 16 days, to be in shelters and in safe rooms when we have the alarm." 

According to Haaretz, citing security officials, 250 ballistic missiles had been fired by Iran at Israel as of March 13. 

Twelve people have been killed in Israel by missiles or falling debris since the start of the war, according to an AFP tally of figures given by Israeli authorities and first responders. 



Russia’s Lavrov, China’s Wang Discuss Cooperation, Ukraine, Iran at Asia Security Meeting

In this handout photograph taken and released by the Russian Foreign Ministry on October 14, 2026, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi hold a meeting on the sidelines of the Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku. (Handout /Russian Foreign Ministry / AFP)
In this handout photograph taken and released by the Russian Foreign Ministry on October 14, 2026, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi hold a meeting on the sidelines of the Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku. (Handout /Russian Foreign Ministry / AFP)
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Russia’s Lavrov, China’s Wang Discuss Cooperation, Ukraine, Iran at Asia Security Meeting

In this handout photograph taken and released by the Russian Foreign Ministry on October 14, 2026, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi hold a meeting on the sidelines of the Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku. (Handout /Russian Foreign Ministry / AFP)
In this handout photograph taken and released by the Russian Foreign Ministry on October 14, 2026, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi hold a meeting on the sidelines of the Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku. (Handout /Russian Foreign Ministry / AFP)

The Russian ‌and Chinese foreign ministers discussed the state of bilateral cooperation as well as the crises in Ukraine and Iran during an Asia security meeting, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping reaffirmed ‌their strategic ‌alliance at a ‌regional summit ⁠last August and ⁠both praised prospects for closer cooperation.

The statement on Wednesday said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi met in Azerbaijan at ⁠a meeting of the ‌Conference on ‌Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia.

It ‌said the two ministers "praised the ‌development dynamics of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation" and "synchronized watches on bilateral political dialogue".

It said discussions ‌also focused on "relations with the United States and the situation ⁠around ⁠the Ukrainian and Iranian crises".

Both Russia and China have called for an end to the Iran conflict, saying it could expand and threaten stability throughout the region.

China has affirmed its "no limits" partnership with Russia throughout the 4-1/2-year-long war in Ukraine, while calling for diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.


Netanyahu Says He Is Not Seeking to Attack Iran Again Before Israel Election

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) attends a ceremony marking the opening of Colombia's new embassy in Jerusalem, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem, Israel, 14 October 2026. (EPA)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) attends a ceremony marking the opening of Colombia's new embassy in Jerusalem, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem, Israel, 14 October 2026. (EPA)
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Netanyahu Says He Is Not Seeking to Attack Iran Again Before Israel Election

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) attends a ceremony marking the opening of Colombia's new embassy in Jerusalem, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem, Israel, 14 October 2026. (EPA)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) attends a ceremony marking the opening of Colombia's new embassy in Jerusalem, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem, Israel, 14 October 2026. (EPA)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that he was not in favor of a preemptive strike against Iran before Israel's October 27 election but also warned Tehran and its proxies against striking Israel.

"It is not convenient for us, it's no good," Netanyahu said in an interview on Israel's Army Radio, when asked about the possibility of a preemptive strike and allegations by his political rivals that he was seeking a military confrontation ahead of the election.

"Even if Iran fires missiles at us they will blame me," Netanyahu ‌said, though ‌he also repeated his previous warnings to Iran, saying ‌Israel ⁠would respond forcefully ⁠if attacked.

He would not elaborate on the possibility of a preemptive strike after the election or about his recent discussions with Washington about Iran.

The United States and Iran have been at war since February 28 when the US and Israel attacked Iran and Tehran responded with its own strikes on Israel and Gulf states.

Israel and Iran have not traded ⁠fire since June.

Netanyahu said that Iran's proxies were looking to launch attacks ‌on Israel before the election.

Defense Minister Israel Katz, speaking from the self-declared security zone Israeli forces are ⁠occupying in southern Lebanon, ⁠warned Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah against attacking Israel.

"Hezbollah will suffer a severe blow and lose additional territories in southern Lebanon within the Nabatieh and Litani regions, which will become part of Israel's permanent security zone. The army is prepared to carry out the maneuver," Katz said.

Katz said that a million Shiites would be displaced and that Hezbollah's stronghold in Beirut would not be spared.

Israel launched air strikes and a ground invasion in southern Lebanon this year in parallel with the war in Iran, after Hezbollah fired into Israel in revenge for the attacks against Tehran.

Hundreds of thousands of people from Lebanon's Shiite community, from which Hezbollah draws its support, were uprooted by the fighting.


Israel Army Chief Says Reinforcing Troops on All Fronts

Israeli army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir. (Reuters file)
Israeli army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir. (Reuters file)
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Israel Army Chief Says Reinforcing Troops on All Fronts

Israeli army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir. (Reuters file)
Israeli army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir. (Reuters file)

Israel's army chief said on Wednesday that the military was reinforcing troop levels "across all fronts", citing an increased risk of escalation as the country heads into elections this later month.

On a visit to the occupied West Bank, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said the potential for incidents on Israel's borders had grown because of the election period, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing a tight race to stay in power in the October 27 poll.

"In light of the increased number of alerts across all fronts and the sensitivity of this period, the potential for escalation has grown," he said, according to an Israeli military statement.

"We have reinforced our forces across all areas."

He added that the military had raised its level of readiness as it prepares "for scenarios in which attempts may be made to catch us by surprise".

Israel recently marked the third anniversary of Hamas's surprise October 7 attack, in which the group's fighters stormed into Israel with pickup trucks and paragliders and opened fire at sites including a music festival.

Citing the need for "vigilance", Zamir said the military was "at a high level of readiness to launch extensive offensive operations against anyone who attempts to harm Israeli civilians".

In Gaza, a year after a US-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas took effect, the Israeli army now controls more than 60 percent of the devastated Palestinian territory and its strikes are ongoing.

In Lebanon, violence has decreased in the south since a framework agreement between the government and Israel, which includes the disarmament of Hezbollah. But the implementation of that deal has stalled.

Israel has also faced incoming fire from Iran during the Middle East war, which began in February with US-Israeli strikes on the country.