Sirens sound in Tel Aviv as Iran retaliates
PK Press Club chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst reports an “incredibly powerful explosion” as Iran continues its ballistic missile attacks against Israel, saying an Israeli official confirmed that 40 senior Iranian leaders were also killed.
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Former NCAA and Team USA women’s basketball player Destiny Littleton shared footage Saturday of her experience fleeing Iranian counterattacks in Israel.
Her documentation ended with a panicked scene where she and other civilians screamed in fear as drones flew overhead. Littleton, who won a national championship at South Carolina under coach Dawn Staley in 2022, and a gold medal for the United States at the 2017 FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cup, currently plays for Hapoel Jerusalem in Israel’s top division.
She posted images on her Instagram on Saturday updating her followers as she fled to a local bomb shelter when Iranian counterattacks began hitting Israel.
After the United States and Israel carried out a series of military strikes against Iran, the country responded with ballistic missiles and drones targeting cities including Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem.
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Former South Carolina guard Destiny Littleton was in Israel when Iran launched a counterattack against the country, sending her scrambling for cover. (John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Littleton was almost caught in the crossfire.
Sirens could be heard in her video as she fled the shelter, and at one point she even pointed her camera at what appeared to be missiles flying through the air.
In one video, she struggled to find shelter as sirens blared in the background.
“I’m trying to find the safe, but I can’t find it,” she said in a panicked voice as she rushed into an empty alley. “Jesus Christ, I don’t think this is the right way…I don’t think this is the right way.”
As she descended an outdoor stone staircase, bombs exploding in the distance could be heard in the background, as she shouted, “Oh shit!”
Shortly after, she posted a video announcing that she had left the shelter and was going to a teammate’s house after feeling “uncomfortable” in the shelter she had just found.
“The BOMB shelter I was in couldn’t accommodate five people, and that was it, I was like ‘no, no, no, no,’” she said.
Littleton eventually reached her teammate’s high-rise apartment building, where she revealed that she had heard several recent explosions.
“I heard the booms everywhere,” she said, pointing to a glimpse of the Jerusalem skyline.
An explosion caused by projectile impact after Iran launched missiles at Israel after Israel and the United States launched strikes against Iran, in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Saturday. (Reuters/Gédéon Markowicz)
Then, in her final video of the evening, Littleton appeared frantic and sweaty, as she revealed explosions nearby.
“There’s no siren going on right now, and yet there are these things exploding in the sky! I’m pretty sure they’re either missiles or drones! Either way, we saw them exploding in the sky, several of them, very, very close to us in fact!” she exclaimed.
“I’m not really sure what that is…Jesus Christ.”
Littleton and those around him then became more frantic as another apparent drone appeared nearby.
“Over there! Over there! Over there! Over there! Over there!” she shouted, before turning her camera around to show what appeared to be a drone flying near the building she was in. “I’m pretty sure it’s not a star.”
At that point, five more drones entered the frame and an explosion was seen in the distance.
“I think they’re fucking drones, bro!”
The entire room then erupted into loud panic as a drone flew over the building they were in, as she turned the camera upwards to reveal the weapons.
“Oh shit—!” Littleton shouted.
Another civilian nearby shouted, “Guys! Guys! What the fuck!”
ISRAEL LAUNCHES PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKE AGAINST IRAN, SAYS DEFENSE MINISTER
Israeli firefighters work to put out a fire in a car at the site of a projectile impact after Iran launched missiles at Israel, following Israeli and US strikes against Iran, in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Saturday. (Reuters/Tomer Appelbaum)
The drone then landed and exploded far from its location, its footage shows.
Littleton and the group were then seen in the footage leaving the apartment and heading towards a bunker, as she appeared visibly shaken, sweaty and overwhelmed, rubbing her head and sighing.
Littleton did not issue a follow-up message at the time of publication.
Staley said Saturday that the university was working to bring Littleton and two other players home amid the chaos, along with WNBA veteran Tiffany Mitchell and former Phoenix Mercury forward Mikiah Herbert Harrigan.
“Please pray for our @GamecockWBB @TiffMitch25 @2121Mikiah @dstnylttltn24 who are in a war zone in Israel,” his message read. “We are working on a plan to get home. Praying that our loved ones return home safely as soon as possible! Thank you in advance.”
The United States joined Israel in launching strikes against Iran on Saturday morning. In video remarks posted to Truth Social, Trump encouraged the Iranian people take over their government once the United States and Israel complete their “major combat operations” in Iran.
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Iran has launched retaliatory missile strikes against U.S. sites across the Middle East. PK Press Club reported that around 40 missiles landed in Israel.
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