Jerusalem warned Tehran there would be “consequences” after Iran launched a massive salvo of ballistic missiles at Israel Tuesday night, sending nearly 10 million people into bomb shelters. A total of 181 missiles were fired, according to Israeli officials, with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) successfully intercepting a significant number of them, reports the Times of Israel. The IDF is still assessing the full extent of the missile strike, and officials warned that Israel would choose the time and place for its response.
The missile strike was determined to be Iran’s retaliation for Israeli airstrikes last week that killed several high-profile figures, including Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Revolutionary Guard General Abbas Nilforushan, and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards confirmed that three military bases were targeted in Israel during the strike. A senior Iranian official disclosed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered the missile launch, though Khamenei remained in a secure location.
Soon after the attack, which was largely unsuccessful, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Tehran that it had made “a big mistake” and “will pay for it.” The strike on Israel had “failed,” he said, and was “thwarted thanks to Israel’s air defense system, which is the most advanced in the world” he added.
He thanked the US for its support as well. American officials and international allies have widely condemned the Iranian missile barrage, while Hamas praised the attack, calling it “revenge for the blood of our heroic martyrs.”
The IDF said there were “isolated” impacts in central Israel and several more impacts in southern Israel. It emphasized that there was no damage to the “competence” of the Israeli Air Force in the attack, and said the IAF’s planes, air defenses, and air traffic control were operating normally.
In addition to defending against missile attacks, the U.S. has deployed additional troops to the region. The Pentagon announced that a “few thousand” American forces already stationed in the Middle East would be reinforced by new units.
Amid the Iranian missile strike, Jordan also reported intercepting several missiles and drones that entered its airspace. Iranian-backed militias in Iraq issued warnings to the U.S., threatening to target American interests if Washington took part in any retaliation against Iran. The group also cautioned Israel against using Iraqi airspace for military operations.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his national security cabinet in a secure bunker near Jerusalem, acknowledging “days of great challenges” ahead. In a video statement, Netanyahu called for unity in the face of the attack and urged Israeli citizens to follow Home Front Command instructions.
