Israeli death toll reaches 20 as Iranian missiles continue to pound Israel

Among the victims is Belina Ashkenazi, 94, who died after a ballistic missile slammed into her apartment building in Bat Yam

At least eight people have been killed in the last 24 hours and nearly 200 injured as Iran continues its wave of missile and drone attacks on central Israel.

Among the victims is Belina Ashkenazi, 94, who died after a ballistic missile slammed into her apartment building in Bat Yam. Her husband and son were also injured and remain hospitalised. She is the second confirmed fatality from that strike, following the earlier identification of Efrat Saranga, 44.

The assault, one of the deadliest barrages Israel has faced from Iran, also claimed the lives of three children: an eight-year-old girl, a 10-year-old boy, and an 18-year-old teenager, emergency services confirmed. Rescue crews continue to search the rubble of destroyed buildings, with at least one person still missing.

The U.S. embassy branch in Tel Aviv sustained minor damage in the strike, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), though no American personnel were hurt. A shelter-in-place order remains in effect, and embassy facilities are temporarily closed.

Israeli security forces inspect destroyed buildings that were hit by a missile fired from Iran, near Tel Aviv, Israel, Sunday, June 15, 2025.

In a significant development, the Israeli Navy intercepted eight Iranian drones overnight using a new air defense system deployed aboard its Sa’ar 6-class corvettes. The drones were brought down by LRAD interceptor missiles, part of the BARAK MX system, marking the first time the system has been used in combat. The IDF says the Navy has downed around 25 drones since the conflict escalated on Friday.

The missile and drone attacks have intensified concerns about a broader regional war, with world leaders now preparing to address the crisis at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, which opens today.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to push for diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation. In a bilateral meeting with Italian PM Giorgia Meloni on Sunday evening, Starmer urged “restraint and de-escalation,” warning that the conflict’s human toll and its ripple effects on global oil markets “cannot be underestimated.”

Starmer has also held calls in recent days with Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, underscoring the urgency of coordinated international response.

The summit now takes place against a backdrop of increasing tension, as Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure over the weekend were met with vows of retaliation from Tehran — and an unfolding crisis that shows no signs of slowing.