The past 48 hours in Tel Aviv have been unlike anything seen before, a leading security analyst has said, as sirens blared amid missile threats following Operation Epic Fury and U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran.

«We are facing a biblical event — nothing less,» Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute, told Fox News Digital, speaking from his shelter in the city.

Like many Israelis, Michael said he had spent hours in reinforced rooms during the ongoing barrage, adding that he was «very experienced in this.»

«But this all requires time and determination, and I do hope that Trump will also have them both,» he said, speaking shortly after the president released a video message stating that the military operation would continue «until all of our objectives are achieved.»

«Trump is the only one who can make the change — and that change will impact the entire region and the international order for years to come,» Michael added.

As of Sunday, Tel Aviv remained under a state of emergency following Iranian missile attacks that caused casualties and widespread damage.

According to The Associated Press, Iranian missile and drone strikes have killed approximately 11 Israeli civilians and wounded dozens more in retaliation for the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran.

Shrapnel from missile impacts damaged at least 40 buildings in Tel Aviv, and authorities reported at least one death in the area from falling debris.

The Philippine Embassy in Israel confirmed the death of a Filipino national after a missile strike hit Tel Aviv on Saturday.

TOMAHAWKS, B-2 STEALTH BOMBERS AND ATTACK DRONES POUND OVER 1,000 IRANIAN TARGETS IN 24-HOUR BLITZ

People take shelter as Iran launched missiles and drones towards Israel following the US-Israeli attacks. ( Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images)

«We enter our shelter once the siren is heard and stay there until the Home Front Command announces that we can leave,» Michael said.

«Usually, it is about 20 to 30 minutes — unless there are further sirens during our stay. Since yesterday morning, it has happened around 30 times.»

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog also visited an impact site in Tel Aviv Sunday, delivering a message of resilience.

«The people of Israel and the people of Iran can live in peace. The region can live in peace. But what undermines peace time and again is terror instigated by this Iranian regime,» Herzog said.

EXILED IRANIAN CROWN PRINCE SAYS US STRIKES MARK ‘BEGINNING OF THE VERY END’ FOR REGIME

Israeli emergency service officer walks past building debris at the scene of a Iranian missile attack. (Ahmad GHARABLI / AFP via Getty Images)

Following the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and roughly 40 senior Iranian officials, Iran formed a provisional leadership council.

Iran named Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, President Masoud Pezeshkian and Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i to lead roles.

«The Supreme Leader did not complete the necessary groundwork regarding his own succession,» Michael added.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

«Pezeshkian will face very troubling challenges due to their heavy losses, severe disruptions to control and command systems, and the massive bombing and attacks across Iran, including Tehran,» he said.

«Even if this regime doesn’t collapse, it will never be able to reconstitute itself, recover or return to its previous position,» Michael added.

Related Article

La Revolución Islámica intenta resistir y extender la guerra hasta las últimas consecuencias para desgastar a Donald Trump y provocar el mayor daño posible a Israel, mientras pone en marcha los mecanismos de sucesión para reemplazar al líder supremo Ali Jamenei, muerto en los ataques israelíes y estadounidenses del sábado.

El objetivo es claro: sobrevivir.

Leé también: Irán designó al frente de la Guardia Revolucionaria Islámica a uno de los acusados del atentado a la AMIA

Para eso, busca prolongar una guerra abierta con ataques indiscriminados a Israel y a países árabes que albergan bases estadounidenses. Sabe que si pacta hoy, el régimen teocrático se derrumba. El plan busca causar el mayor número de víctimas a Estados Unidos e Israel para que paguen un precio político interno, en especial el presidente estadounidense.

Por lo pronto Estados Unidos ya cuenta con tres bajas entre sus tropas, algo que precisamente actúa como una fuerte presión sobre Trump en un año electoral y tras crecientes cuestionamientos en el seno del partido republicano para acabar pronto la guerra en un año electoral.

Irán es consciente de que no puede ganar la guerra, pero sí está en condiciones de provocarle un daño político interno a Washington que le permita abrir un margen de diálogo que garantice la supervivencia de la revolución islámica.

Quién tiene el mando hoy en Irán

La muerte de Jamenei sacudió el tablero de poder en Teherán, pero no se avizoran señales de apertura en la estructura político-militar-religiosa. Todo lo contrario. Tampoco hay señales de reorganización opositora en el terreno.

“Quienes están dentro del sistema político iraní pueden llegar a ocupar un lugar. Yo diría que son cada vez posiciones más duras, menos dispuestas a negociar y más dispuestas al lenguaje de las armas. Esa es la parte más negativa de un cambio de régimen”, dijo a TN el analista Paulo Botta, especializado en temas iraníes y director de la oficina de Trends Research & Advisory en América Latina.

La sucesión de Jamenei está en marcha. Este domingo se creó un consejo de liderazgo liderado por el ayatolá Alireza Arafi e integrado por el presidente Masoud Pezeshkian; el jefe del poder judicial, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, y un miembro del Consejo de los Guardianes (un organismo de control constitucional) elegido por el Consejo de Conveniencia, que asesora al líder supremo y resuelve disputas con el Parlamento.

Luego, un panel de 88 miembros llamado Asamblea de Expertos elegirá “lo antes posible” a un nuevo líder supremo. Uno de los nombres que se barajan es el del propio hijo de Jamenei, Mojtaba, un clérigo chiíta de 56 años, pero sin experiencia previa en un cargo público y cuya designación podría provocar un gran descontento interno por representar una sucesión dinástica.

Una salida de supervivencia

Mientras soporta los bombardeos de la coalición israelí-estadounidense, el objetivo hoy es dañar lo más posible a EE.UU e Israel, negociar una salida de supervivencia y mostrarse victorioso bajo un régimen de propaganda basado en una férrea censura. Nada nuevo que no haya sucedido en el pasado, incluso en la anterior guerra de 12 días en junio del año pasado.

Pero es una jugada de enorme riesgo. Involucrar a los países árabes en la guerra puede no haber sido la mejor estrategia.

Leé también: El papa habló del conflicto en Medio Oriente y pidió que se retome el diálogo: “Paren la espiral de violencia”

“La retaliación que ha lanzado Irán ha sido un error de cálculo. Lo que ha hecho es unificar el mundo árabe contra Irán. La estrategia lógica hubiera sido dividirlo, pero con los ataques indiscriminados contra Arabia Saudita, Barhrein, Qatar y los Emiratos Árabes Unidos los ha unificado contra Teherán”, dijo a TN el analista Jairo Lugo Ocando, decano de la Facultad de Comunicación de la Universidad de Sharjah en los Emiratos Árabes Unidos.

Para el especialista en temas de Medio Oriente, “el problema es que Irán esta ahora bajo un liderazgo que no está preparado para eso porque han decapitado a toda su cúpula. Estados Unidos e Israel van a seguir atacando y no hay defensa aérea iraní. La destruyeron en la última guerra. El espacio aéreo de Irán está completamente abierto. Los ataques continuarán hasta un momento determinado en que Estados Unidos considere que se puede entrar en una negociación”, dijo.

Además, afirmó: “Eso va a tardar un par de semanas y se va a poner peor antes de mejorar”.

Desde Washington, Trump ya empezó a abrir el camino. “Ellos quieren hablar, y yo he aceptado hablar, así que hablaré con ellos. Deberían haberlo hecho antes. La mayoría de esa gente ha muerto. Algunos de aquellos con quienes estábamos negociando han muerto. Quisieron pasarse de listos”, advirtió en declaraciones a la revista The Atlantic difundida este domingo.

Several House Republicans are pushing Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to go to war with the Senate GOP over an election security bill that has little chance of passing the upper chamber under current circumstances.

House GOP leaders convened a lawmaker-only call on Sunday in the wake of a massive military operation against Iran launched by the U.S. and Israel.

After leaders briefed House Republicans on how the chamber would respond to the ongoing conflict — including a vote on ending Democrats’ weeks-long government shutdown targeting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) — Fox News Digital was told that several lawmakers raised concerns about the Senate not yet taking up the Safeguarding American Voter Eligiblity (SAVE America) Act. Among other provisions, the act would require voters in federal elections to produce valid ID and proof of citizenship.

Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., was among those pushing the House to reject any bills from the Senate until the measure was taken up, telling Johnson according to multiple sources on the call, «If we don’t get this done, or at least show that we’ve got some backbone, we’re done. The midterms are over.»

At least three other House Republicans shared similar concerns. Sources on the call said Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, argued that GOP voters were «not enthused» heading into November and that «the single biggest thing» to turn that around would be forcing the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act.

The SAVE America Act passed the House last month with support from all Republicans and just one Democrat, Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas.

JEFFRIES ACCUSES REPUBLICANS OF ‘VOTER SUPPRESSION’ OVER BILL REQUIRING VOTER ID, PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP

Republicans have pointed out on multiple occasions that voter ID measures have bipartisan support across multiple public polls and surveys. But Democrats have dismissed the legislation as an attempt at voter suppression ahead of the 2026 midterms.

 Senate Majority Leader John Thune speaks at a press conference with other members of Senate Republican leadership following a policy luncheon in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 28, 2025. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The legislation would require 60 votes in the Senate to break filibuster, which it’s likely not to get given Democrats’ near-uniform opposition. But House Republicans have pressured Senate Majority Leader John Thune to use a mechanism known as a standing filibuster to circumvent that — which Thune has signaled opposition to, given the vast amount of time it would take up in the Senate and potential unintended consequences in the amendment process.

It also comes as Congress grapples with the fallout from the strikes on Iran and the need to ensure safety for the U.S. domestically and for service members abroad, both of which will require close coordination between the two chambers.

Johnson told Republicans several times on the Sunday call that he was privately pressuring Thune on the bill but was wary of creating a public rift with his fellow GOP leader, sources said.

HARDLINE CONSERVATIVES DOUBLE DOWN TO SAVE THE SAVE ACT

«If we’re going to go to war against our own party in the Senate, there may be implications to that,» Johnson said at one point, according to people on the call. «So we want to be thoughtful and careful.»

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, talks with a guest during a «Only Citizens Vote Bus Tour» rally in Upper Senate Park to urge Congress to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

At another point in the call, sources said Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., suggested pairing a coming vote on DHS funding with the SAVE America Act in order to force the Senate to take it up.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

But both Johnson and House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., were hesitant about such a move given the enhanced threat environment in the wake of the U.S. operation in Iran.

Both spoke out in favor of the SAVE America Act, people told Fox News Digital, but warned the current situation merited leaving the DHS funding bill on its own in a bid to end the partial shutdown, so the department could fully function as a national security shield.

Related Article