TEL AVIV: The Israeli military said Iran fired over 180 missiles towards Israeli territory on Tuesday after deadly Israeli raids against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“IDF (Israeli army) systems have identified approximately 180 missiles fired towards Israeli territory from Iran,” the Israeli military said.
Meanwhile, Iran launched a missile attack on Israel on Tuesday. “A short while ago, missiles were launched from Iran towards Israel,” the military said in a statement.
Sirens sounded across Israel, with explosions heard over Jerusalem. Iranian state media said that the missile attack specifically targeted Tel Aviv, Israel’s economic center.
As sirens echoed across the country, explosions were reported in Jerusalem. In response to the threat, Israeli airspace was closed, diverting all flights as the military prepared for further actions.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps said the attack was in response to Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah last week as well as the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in a Tehran bombing widely blamed on Israel.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps described the missile strike as a response to Israel’s “aggression” in the region. Iraq and Jordan, while lying between Iran and Israel, closed their airspace too.
Meanwhile, at least seven people were wounded in a shooting incident in Tel Aviv, which police suspect to be a terrorist attack. Emergency responders reported that casualties included individuals in varying conditions, some of whom were unconscious.
The missile attack comes in the wake of Israel’s ground operations in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah, following the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, in an Israeli airstrike last week.
President Joe Biden on Tuesday ordered the US military to “aid Israel’s defence” and shoot down Iranian missiles targeting Israel, the White House said, amid escalation in the Middle East.
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee in next month’s US presidential election, were closely monitoring the events from the White House Situation Room.
A White House spokesperson confirmed the directive, stating, “President Biden directed the US military to aid Israel’s defence against Iranian attacks and shoot down missiles that are targeting Israel.”
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have threatened to unleash “crushing attacks” if Israel retaliates against Tuesday’s missile strikes. Iranian state media reported Tehran launched a barrage of missiles targeting Tel Aviv, Israel’s commercial center.
“If the Zionist regime reacts to Iranian operations, it will face crushing attacks,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated in a message carried by the Fars news agency.
The US Embassy in Jerusalem has advised all government employees and their families to “shelter in place until further notice,” highlighting the deteriorating security situation in the region. The embassy cautioned American citizens to remain vigilant and aware of their surroundings due to the unpredictable nature of security incidents, including potential mortar and rocket fire.
US defence officials indicated that Iran is likely targeting military and government sites rather than civilian areas. In light of these developments, the Pentagon reiterated its support for Israel, stating that it is “actively supporting defensive preparations to defend Israel against this attack.”
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasized that the killing of Nasrallah and a senior Revolutionary Guards commander in the Israeli attack “will not go unanswered,” suggesting that Iran feels compelled to respond militarily. He also accused the United States of complicity in what he termed “this crime.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Israel said it was ready to counter any attack from Iran as a US official warned of an imminent ballistic missile strike from Iran after Israeli raids against Hezbollah in Lebanon sent tensions soaring.
The Israeli ground offensive across Lebanon’s northern border came despite growing calls for de-escalation after a week of deadly air strikes that killed hundreds in Lebanon, including Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.
Earlier, a senior White House official said on Tuesday that “the United States has indications that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel”.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant discussed the potential threat from Iran with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The Israeli military reported that while no aerial threat from Iran has been detected “for now,” forces are prepared to “defend and attack.”
The tensions surged after Israel launched ground operations in southern Lebanon aimed at Hezbollah, following a week of intense air strikes.
Despite assertions from the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon that the Israeli operations did not constitute a “ground incursion,” the Israeli military confirmed conducting “targeted ground raids” across the northern border. However, details regarding the scope and duration of these operations remain vague.
Israel has also carried out air strikes in southern Beirut, Damascus, and Gaza, raising fears of a broader conflict.
The Iranian government has vowed retaliation for Nasrallah’s death, claiming it would lead to Israel’s “destruction,” yet it has indicated that it will not deploy troops directly to confront Israel.
The potential for an Iranian missile attack adds to the volatility, with US officials indicating they are “actively supporting defensive preparations” for Israel. The Pentagon has increased its military presence in the region, deploying additional troops and fighter jets.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah said it targeted Israel’s Sde Dov air base near Tel Aviv on Tuesday in retaliation for Israeli attacks on civilians in Lebanon, in the second operation Tuesday it dedicated to its slain leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Hezbollah said its fighters launched “a salvo of Fadi-4 rockets at the Sde Dov air base in Tel Aviv”, adding the attack came in defence of Lebanon and “in response to the targeting of Lebanese civilians and the massacres that the enemy carried out”.
This operation was dedicated to Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs last week.
Meanwhile, air raid sirens were activated across central Israel, signaling a heightened state of alert. The Israeli military confirmed the sirens but did not provide specifics regarding the locations affected.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese state-run National News Agency reported Israeli air strikes on two sites in southern Beirut.
World leaders have called for an urgent ceasefire to prevent further suffering, particularly as the humanitarian situation in Lebanon deteriorates. Over 1,000 people have reportedly died since mid-September due to the ongoing Israeli air strikes, prompting Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati to appeal for over $400 million in international aid for displaced citizens.
Some Lebanese citizens express unwavering support for Hezbollah despite political opposition. Youssef Amir, displaced from southern Lebanon, stated, “I have lost my home and relatives… but all of that is a sacrifice for Lebanon, for Hezbollah.”
