Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched a barrage of ballistic missiles equipped with cluster warheads at the Tel Aviv area early Wednesday, killing two civilians and causing widespread damage.

The strikes, which occurred overnight into March 18, targeted densely populated central Israel, including suburbs like Ramat Gan and Holon. An elderly couple in their seventies died in Ramat Gan when a cluster bomblet penetrated their apartment roof and exploded inside, preventing them from reaching a shelter. Five others suffered shrapnel wounds in locations including Kafr Qasem, Petah Tikva, and Bnei Brak.

A direct hit damaged the Savidor Central railway station in Tel Aviv, halting train services nationwide before partial resumption on routes from Jerusalem to Ben Gurion Airport. Shrapnel ignited fires, wrecked a bus, and scarred roads and buildings across at least 10 sites in the Gush Dan region. Israel's Fire and Rescue Authority responded to 34 incidents from two barrages.

The IRGC described the attack as vengeance for Israel's killing of Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, in a strike on Tehran on March 16. Missiles included the Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr models, which disperse dozens of bomblets mid-flight to overwhelm defenses and maximize area damage.

This assault marks the latest escalation in the 2026 Iran war, which began on February 28 when U.S. and Israeli forces struck Iranian military sites, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and others. Iran has fired over 220 ballistic missiles at Israel since, with cluster variants posing new challenges to the Iron Dome system. Israeli civilian deaths from these strikes now total 14.

The Israel Defense Forces reported completing airstrikes on Iranian regime command centers in Tehran in response. Sirens sounded across central and northern Israel, the West Bank, and even Abu Ghosh during the barrages, but most projectiles were intercepted or fell in open areas.

Israel Railways noted overnight repairs allowed limited service restoration, though the station remains under construction and not fully operational. Residents described explosions, smoke plumes, and shelter scrambles, with some observing reduced shelter use amid war fatigue.

The conflict has drawn in Hezbollah, leading to a ground invasion of southern Lebanon, and disrupted global oil via Iran's Strait of Hormuz actions. U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized allies for withholding support amid the exchanges.