Iran's retaliatory strike hits multiple sites in Tel Aviv

Iran launched dozens of missiles into Israel on Friday evening, striking multiple locations in Tel Aviv in swift retaliation for Israel's "preemptive strike" on its nuclear facilities, military leaders, and scientists.

Nearly 100 missiles targeted central and northern Israel in two massive barrages, according to the Israeli military and the national emergency service, Magen David Adom (MDA). Most were intercepted or fell mid-flight, but several breached Israel's air defense system, hitting urban areas and causing significant damage.

According to Israeli police, missile debris fell in several areas in northern Israel, causing fires. The Israeli Navy stated that they intercepted multiple drones coming from the direction of Iran.

According to MDA, the attack has injured nearly 60 people, with two people in serious condition. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz condemned the missile launches, stating that Iran had crossed red lines by targeting civilian population centers in Israel.

"We will continue to protect the citizens of Israel," he said, warning that the country would "ensure that Tehran pays a very heavy price for its criminal actions."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on social media that the strike on Iran, one of its largest military operations in history, had destroyed "the Islamic regime's most significant enrichment facility and a large portion of its ballistic missile arsenal". He also underlined that "more is on the way."

Iran's retaliatory strike hits multiple sites in Tel Aviv

Iran's retaliatory strike hits multiple sites in Tel Aviv

Iran's retaliatory strike hits multiple sites in Tel Aviv

Iran's retaliatory strike hits multiple sites in Tel Aviv

From cutting-edge technology exhibitions to retail stores thousands of kilometers away from Europe and Southeast Asia, China-made robot vacuum cleaners are increasingly becoming a popular choice among consumers worldwide.

At electronics retailers in Berlin, Germany, Chinese brands such as Roborock and Dreame occupy prominent positions in dedicated robot vacuum sections, offering a wide range of products priced between 200 and 2,000 euros.

Many local consumers said that when purchasing smart home appliances including robot vacuum cleaners, they tend to give priority to Chinese-made products.

"It's a good price and good quality. It's also the innovation. I have a feeling that the European brands are not innovating enough," said one customer.

"I think they're always on top of the other technologies. They are getting them out faster. A lot of us are switching to the Chinese technology," another consumer said.

Germany is one of the most important overseas markets for China's floor-cleaning robots.

According to data from market research firm GfK, from January to November 2025, more than six out of 10 robot vacuum cleaners sold in Western Europe were Chinese brands.

Industry data also point to a strong global momentum.

According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), global shipments of smart robot vacuum cleaners reached 17.424 million units in the first three quarters of 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 18.7 percent.

Chinese brands including Roborock, Ecovacs, Dreame, Xiaomi and Narwal ranked among the world's top five in terms of shipment volume, with a combined share of nearly 70 percent of the global market.

At a robot vacuum cleaner manufacturing plant in Huizhou, south China's Guangdong Province, workers were seen stepping up production of newly launched models that recently debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show in the United States, which concluded Friday in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The factory adjusted its production lines as early as December 2025 and stocked inventory in advance for overseas markets to ensure that new products could be delivered to global consumers at the earliest possible time.

"In 2025, Roborock's global shipments exceeded 7.2 million units. Since 2024, overseas revenue has accounted for more than 50 percent of our total revenue. Our products have now been sold to more than 170 countries and regions, serving more than 20 million households worldwide," said Quan Gang, president of Roborock.

At another robot vacuum cleaner manufacturing facility in Dongguan, Guangdong, rising overseas orders have prompted the company to upgrade its production lines with intelligent technologies to further boost capacity. The factory is currently operating at full load to meet a growing demand.

"For 2026, we have already obtained overseas orders worth at least 300 million to 400 million yuan (around 43 million to 57.3 million U.S. dollars). In addition, we've engaged in strategic cooperation with European home appliance group Cebos Group, and our total confirmed orders have exceeded 600 million yuan (around 86 million U.S. dollars)," said Zhang Junbin, founder and CEO of Narwal Robotics.

Chinese robot vacuum brands gain strong global traction