Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday in retaliation for Israel’s military actions against Tehran’s Hezbollah allies in Lebanon and the deaths of its leaders, including that of Hamas.
Alarms were triggered across Israel, with explosions echoing in Jerusalem and the Jordan River valley, forcing Israelis to seek shelter. State television reporters were seen taking cover during live broadcasts. Reuters journalists observed some missiles being intercepted in Jordanian airspace, while Israeli media reported that up to 100 missiles had been launched.
After approximately an hour, the Israeli military announced the threat had passed, allowing citizens to leave their protected spaces. The military noted that many of the Iranian missiles had been intercepted.
Reports indicated that between 150 and 200 missiles were fired in total, marking Iran’s second attack on Israel this year, following a missile and drone strike in April that was in response to an Israeli airstrike on its consulate in Damascus. Israel pledged retaliation, with military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stating that Israel would respond at a time and place of its choosing. “This attack will have consequences. We have plans, and we will operate at the place and time we decide,” Hagari declared.
Emergency services reported minor injuries, including two people injured by shrapnel in the Tel Aviv area and additional minor injuries as people rushed to safety.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards stated that the missile attack was in retaliation for the recent assassinations of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. “In response to the martyrdom of [Hamas leader] Ismail Haniyeh, Hassan Nasrallah, and [Guards commander] Nilforoshan, we targeted the heart of the occupied territories [Israel],” said the Guards in a statement, as reported by Fars News. They further warned that any Israeli retaliation would result in further devastating attacks.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that the missile attack was authorized by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, affirming Tehran’s preparedness for any Israeli retaliation. Iran’s mission to the United Nations emphasized that the attack was a justified response to Israel’s “terrorist acts” and warned of a harsh response if Israel attempted further aggression.
In Israel, air traffic at Ben Gurion Airport was suspended, with no takeoffs or landings permitted during the attack. The Israeli military had earlier warned that an Iranian missile strike could be extensive, urging citizens to shelter in safe rooms.
This escalation followed Israel’s ground operations in Lebanon, which it described as limited. The Israeli campaign, the largest regional military engagement since the Gaza conflict a year earlier, has targeted Hezbollah forces, killing much of their top leadership. The United States has offered support to Israel, with President Joe Biden announcing that U.S. forces were prepared to help defend Israel and shoot down any incoming missiles. Both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were closely monitoring the situation from the White House.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the rising conflict in the Middle East, calling for an immediate ceasefire amid fears of a broader regional war.
Though Israel has characterized its ground operations in Lebanon as limited, this is the first such campaign in 18 years. The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has already led to the deaths of more than a thousand Lebanese civilians, with over a million displaced. Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has vowed retaliation, fueling concerns that the war could spread across the region despite U.S. efforts to prevent further escalation.
In a significant development, Israel confirmed the assassination of Muhammad Jaafar Qasir, a senior Hezbollah commander responsible for coordinating weapons transfers from Iran. The ongoing violence has brought Lebanon into a rapidly escalating conflict, claiming hundreds of lives.
In the southern city of Sidon, mourners grieved for victims of Israeli airstrikes, including children. Abdulhamid Ramadan, a resident, expressed his devastation, having lost his daughter and wife in the attacks. Many Lebanese civilians, not just Hezbollah fighters, have expressed their willingness to resist Israeli forces. “Not just Hezbollah, all of Lebanon will fight this time,” said Abu Alaa, a resident of Sidon. “All of Lebanon is determined to fight Israel for the massacres it committed in Gaza and Lebanon.”
