At least five Ukrainian citizens, including three children, were killed when an Iranian missile struck a residential apartment building in Bat Yam, a suburb of Tel Aviv, on the night of 14 June. Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the deaths, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

The missile impact caused the collapse of the multi-story building. Rescue efforts are ongoing, with dozens injured and at least 20 residents believed to be trapped beneath the rubble. Israeli authorities report that 61 buildings were damaged in Bat Yam, six of which are considered beyond repair.

Strike follows Israeli air operation across Iran

The Iranian missile attack was a direct response to an Israeli air campaign launched a day earlier, on 13 June. As part of Operation “Rising Lion,” the Israel Defense Forces deployed approximately 200 fighter jets and carried out strikes on more than 100 targets across Iran. The IDF described the operation as a series of “precise preemptive strikes” targeting nuclear infrastructure, missile production sites, and military leadership facilities.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the goal of the operation was to degrade Iran’s capacity to develop nuclear weapons, claiming Iran possessed enough enriched uranium to produce up to nine nuclear warheads.

Nationwide toll: Civilian casualties and widespread damage

Iran’s retaliatory strike, which included ballistic missiles and drones, targeted multiple cities across Israel overnight between June 14 and 15. According to The Times of Israel and emergency service Magen David Adom, at least 10 people were killed and more than 245 were injured. Six remain in critical condition.

Among the victims were four members of a single family in the northern Israeli city of Tamra, a predominantly Arab Muslim community, killed in a separate missile strike.

As of 15 June, Israeli authorities warn that the death toll could rise as search and recovery efforts continue.

The world holds its breath after an Israeli strike on Iran, but Kyiv braces for worse as Washington’s priorities may shift, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports. 

Global reaction has been mixed, ranging from calls for restraint to avoid a regional war to open support for Israel’s decisive action. But for Ukraine, this escalation spells troubling consequences.

Analysts warn that the rising tensions between Israel and Iran could prompt the United States to divert its attention and resources from the war in Ukraine to the Middle East. This would be a deeply dangerous shift for Kyiv, which depends on uninterrupted allied support to resist Russian aggression.

“Without a doubt, this will distract some attention from the defense of Ukraine against Russian aggression,” said Roland Freudenstein, a Brussels-based analyst.

The Trump administration has been clear about its intent to bring the war in Ukraine to a swift close, even at the cost of painful compromises. A new crisis in the Persian Gulf only reinforces this narrative. Meanwhile, Trump’s self-imposed “two-week” window for striking a deal with Russia has just expired.

Beyond geopolitics, energy markets are also feeling the impact. Following Israel’s strikes, oil prices surged to $75 per barrel, a $5 spike in just hours. That’s direct profit for the Kremlin’s war chest.

“If the Middle East crisis deepens, it will inevitably push energy prices up. And in some ways, this benefits Russia,” warns analyst Ian Lesser.

While considering a price cap of $45 per barrel on Russian oil, the European Union risks losing leverage. Kyiv is demanding even tougher measures, a $30 cap, to strangle the Kremlin’s war financing. But in the current chaos, this plan may become harder to implement.

Once again, Ukraine stands to become a victim in a war, this time between Israel and Iran.