Israel has accused Iran of escalating tensions to a dangerous level after launching missiles at civilian areas, following a series of Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets.

“Iran has crossed red lines by daring to fire missiles at civilian population centres in Israel,” said Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz in a strongly worded statement on Friday. “We will continue to defend the citizens of Israel and ensure that the Ayatollah regime pays a very heavy price for its heinous actions.”

The incident marks a significant escalation in hostilities between the two nations, with Israeli officials framing the Iranian response as a deliberate attack on non-military targets.

Israel’s retaliatory strikes earlier in the week had already heightened tensions in the region, but Katz’s statement signals that a broader conflict may be looming if further attacks on civilians occur.

As of now, Israel has not confirmed the extent of casualties or damage from the missile attacks, but officials reiterated that “all necessary steps” would be taken to ensure the security of Israeli citizens.