At around 11 pm local time, the Israeli military spokesman, announced that Iran had launched an unprecedented large-scale attack on Israel, which include dozens of explosives laden drones and a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles. Ahead of the attack, the Israeli military launched electronic warfare which disrupted GPS systems to civilian air traffic in Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, and Lebanon and the Israeli Airports Authority closed the nation’s airspace from 00:30 a.m. until at least 7 am the following day. The attack, the single largest drone and misses attack ever carried out by any country included 331 projectiles of which 185 were explosives drones, 36 cruise missiles and 110 ballistic missiles which arrived between 2 am and 4 am local time. US, UK aircraft downed drones and cruise missiles over the Iraq-Syria border area while Israeli and Jordanian air defenses and aircrafts downed over 100 drones that were launched in two large swarms. At least half ballistic missiles failed to launch or crashed prior to reaching Israel while the others were downed by Israeli aircraft and the Hetz (Arrow) anti-ballistic missiles defense system. At least nine ballistic missiles reached Israel, and some hit the Nevatim Air Force Base in the Negev desert causing minor damage to infrastructure and a military C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft but no casualties. A 10-year-old Bedouin girl was critically injured near the southern Israeli city of Arad from interceptor fragments. The attack followed days of mounting tensions in the region and as retaliation  for the targeted assassination of Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi, the highest the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) officer since Gen. Qassem Soleimani was killed in 2020 in a U.S. drone attack in Iraq. Israeli officials promised a retaliatory attack, which will likely target Iranian proxies’ infrastructure and personnel in Lebanon and Syria and or Yemen. A direct attack on Iran will further escalate the already tense region which will likely result in an open regional conflict.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered nationwide in the weekly Saturday night anti-government protest, calling for early elections and an immediate hostage deal as the country marks six months since Hamas terror group’s October 7 attack. In Tel Aviv, some 45,000 gathered at the “Democracy Square” --the intersection of Begin and Kaplan Streets--in a massive anti-government rally.  Minor skirmishes between demonstrators and police officers took place, which saw the arrest of at least five protestors. A large group of protestors proceeded northward to the headquarters of the powerful Histadrut labor federation on Arlozorov Street.  At around 10 pm local time, a motorist got out of his car to curse the protesters after which he deliberately rammed his car into the crowed injuring five, one seriously. The car ramming drew wide condemnations and concerns over deepening societal divisions and growing tensions as the war in Gaza continue.  

Armed members of the Sunni Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice) militant group—some wearing suicide vests--carried out simultaneous attack on Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) bases in the towns of Sarbaz and Rask and a Border Guard facility in the city of Chahbahar all located in the southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan province which borders Afghanistan and Pakistan. In addition to the assaults, the militants also ambushed security forces vehicles along nearby roads to hinder them from pursuing them. At least 11 security personnel and 18 militants were killed, and at least 10 security personnel were wounded in the attacks.

Just before 8 am local time, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck about 18km/11 miles south of the coastal city of Hualien at a depth of 15.5km/ 9.6 miles. The quake, the strongest to hit Taiwan in 25 years, caused the collapse of at least 25 buildings in the city and violently shook buildings throughout the island, causing widespread power cuts and internet outages. The initial quake, which was followed by hundreds of aftershocks in rapid succession, also caused 24 landslides and damage to 35 roads, bridges and tunnels. At least 10 people were killed in the quake and 1058 were injured. The death toll is likely to rise as 18 people remain missing and likely buried under collapsed buildings. The quake initially set off tsunami warnings on the island and neighboring countries, including Japan and the Philippines, but some were later retracted. The initial strong quake was also felt in multiple cities throughout China.

At around 5 pm local time, the Iranian consular section of Iran’s Embassy building in the upscaled al-Mezzeh district of the capital Damascus was destroyed in an aerial missile attack. At least six people were killed in the attack, including Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Both Syrian and Iranian officials claimed that the attack was carried out by Israel Air Force (IAF). Israel, which has repeatedly hit Hizballah and Iranian IRGC targets since the war in Gaza, declined to comment on the incident, which if confirmed to have been carried out by the IAF, will mark an escalation in the region that could see direct fighting between Israel and Iran and its allies.