A correspondent was forced to run for his life during a live broadcast as missiles slammed into amid escalating tensions with Iran.

Trey Yingst was seen fleeing the scene with his camera crew as sirens blared and rockets lit up the night sky. The dramatic moment unfolded live on air, with footage capturing a direct strike on the city as explosions echoed in the background. Describing the chaos unfolding around him, Yingst called it "an unprecedented moment for Israel," as he ducked for cover mid-report.

The live chaos in Tel Aviv unfolded just as Iran unleashed what it called the beginning of its "crushing response" to Israeli airstrikes. According to Iranian state media, "hundreds of various ballistic missiles" were fired at Israel early Friday morning, marking a major escalation in an already volatile conflict.

"Moments ago, with the launch of hundreds of various ballistic missiles toward the occupied territories, the operation of decisive response to the savage attack of the Zionist regime has begun," reported Iran's official news agency IRNA.

Explosions were heard in both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, with dramatic footage capturing rockets breaching Israel's Iron Dome and smoke billowing across the skyline.

Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a sweeping strike targeting Iran's nuclear and missile infrastructure following months of failed nuclear talks.

Multiple cities across Iran have been hit, including the capital Tehran, with Iran's foreign minister warning that Israel will "deeply regret" its attack.

In response, a state of emergency has been declared across Israel. An IDF press briefing on Friday night was abruptly cut short due to an "incoming Iranian attack on central Israel," according to an Israeli official.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei later vowed: "Our military will respond powerfully and bring ruin upon the despicable Zionist regime."

Among the dead are top Iranian military figures including Gen. Hossein Salami, head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, Iran's highest-ranking military officer.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump weighed in, telling reporters the US "of course" supports Israel and warned Iran to reach a nuclear deal "before there is nothing left."

The President told Fox News' Bret Baier on Friday that "The Iranians were hit ten times worse than they thought they would be."

"They weren't ready to negotiate. I think they may be now. We'll see," Trump said regarding the future of Iran's nuclear program.

Code-named "Am Kelavi" (Rising Lion), the preemptive operation by Israel was the product of unprecedented coordination between the Israeli air force, the Military Intelligence Directorate, Mossad and the country's defense industries.

For years, they worked "shoulder to shoulder" to gather the intelligence files needed to eliminate Iran's most sensitive military and nuclear assets.

The strikes came after Israel first threatened to go after Iran's nuclear facilities in early November following a series of back-and-forth missile attacks between April and October last year.