Jerusalem: Ten drones were launched from Iran throughout Saturday into several areas in Israel, according to statements by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). 

One of the drones hit a two-story residential building in the northern Israeli city of Beit Shean, causing heavy damage but no casualties, Israel's national emergency service Magen David Adom (MDA) reported.

Another drone fell in an open area in the Negev desert in southern Israel, resulting in no casualties or damage. The remaining eight drones were intercepted by the Israeli air defence system, according to the IDF.

Earlier, on Saturday pre-dawn, five missiles were fired from Iran towards central Israel.

All the missiles were intercepted by the Israeli air force, with no casualties reported, the IDF said.

According to the MDA, an interception fragment fell and caused a fire in a residential building in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier in the day, the IDF claimed to have eliminated Saeed Izadi, a senior Iranian military figure and a key architect of the Iranian regime’s plan to destroy Israel. Izadi was reportedly killed in a targeted airstrike conducted by the IDF in the Qom region of Iran.

In a post on social media platform X, the IDF announced, "Saeed Izadi, a founder of the Iranian regime’s plan to destroy Israel, was eliminated in a precise IDF strike in the area of Qom. Izadi was also the commander of the Palestine Corps of the Quds Force, a key coordinator between the Iranian regime and Hamas, and one of the main orchestrators of the October 7 massacre."

The IDF further added that Izadi played a significant role in military coordination between senior commanders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and key Hamas figures. He was also responsible for channelling Iranian financial support to Hamas for terrorist operations against Israel.

“During the war, Izadi directed Hamas forces operating from Lebanon. Since then, he had been actively involved in rebuilding Hamas' military wing and ensuring Hamas retained control over Gaza,” the IDF said in its post. (IANS)