Iran fired around 180 missiles at Israel on Tuesday in retaliation for the killing of Tehran-backed militant leaders, causing widespread alarm and pledges of retaliation across the region.
It was gathered that most of the missiles were intercepted by Israeli air defense systems or allied forces before reaching Israeli territory.
The Israeli military confirmed in a statement that missiles were launched from Iran, with air raid sirens sounding across the country.
After about an hour, the military announced that the attack had ended, with a “large number” of missiles successfully intercepted.
Two people were reported to have been slightly injured by shrapnel in central Israel, while in the West Bank city of Jericho, a Palestinian was killed by falling debris from the missiles, according to the city’s governor, Hussein Hamayel.
This marks Iran’s second direct assault on Israel, following a missile and drone strike in April, which was a response to an Israeli air raid on Iran’s consulate in Damascus.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for the attack, stating they targeted three military bases near Tel Aviv in retaliation for the recent deaths of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, both of whom were killed in incidents widely attributed to Israel.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the escalating violence in the region and called for an immediate ceasefire, while U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken denounced the missile attack and urged global condemnation.
In response to the attack, Israeli airspace was temporarily closed, and neighboring countries such as Iraq, Lebanon, and Jordan also shut down their airspace due to the ongoing conflict.
Explosions were reported in Amman as missiles passed over Jordanian airspace, where defensive measures were also activated.
President Joe Biden directed the U.S. military to assist Israel in its defense efforts and to intercept incoming Iranian missiles.
Although Iran has supported regional militant groups during the Gaza conflict, it has largely avoided direct military action against Israel until now. This escalation signals a shift toward direct confrontation.
Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari warned that Iran’s actions would have consequences and that Israel would choose the time and place for its response.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards threatened further “crushing attacks” if Israel retaliated.
French and German officials expressed concerns about the increasing risk of a direct war between Iran and Israel, while Iranian-backed groups such as Hamas applauded the missile strikes as vengeance for the deaths of their leaders.
Meanwhile, Iran-aligned factions in Iraq warned they would target U.S. forces in the region if Iran were attacked.
The situation escalated further after Israeli ground forces launched targeted raids in southern Lebanon earlier on Tuesday, despite mounting calls for de-escalation.
As the conflict rages on, there is growing concern that a full-scale ground invasion by Israel could worsen the humanitarian situation, with the UN warning of increased suffering.
Israel has also stepped up airstrikes across Lebanon and Gaza, killing key militant leaders and civilians alike.
The death toll continues to climb, with Hezbollah targeting Israeli military bases and Hamas’s ongoing operations in Gaza.
In Tel Aviv, a shooting incident left four people dead, adding to the chaos of the day’s violence.
Meanwhile, in Lebanon, the death toll has surpassed 1,000 since mid-September, and aid agencies are calling for urgent humanitarian assistance for the displaced.
In Gaza, continued Israeli strikes have killed 19 more people, adding to the heavy toll caused by the ongoing military offensive.
The conflict, sparked by Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel, has already claimed thousands of lives on both sides, with no sign of de-escalation in sight.
KanyiDaily recalls that Israel’s military recently announced that Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Hezbollah group, was killed in an airstrike in Beirut.
