Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday in response to Israel’s military actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Sirens echoed throughout Israel, and explosions were reported in Jerusalem and the Jordan River valley as residents rushed to bomb shelters. During live broadcasts, reporters from state television took cover on the ground.
Israeli army radio reported that nearly 200 missiles were fired into Israel from Iran while Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed they had targeted Israel with tens of missiles, warning that any Israeli retaliation would provoke a “more crushing and ruinous” response.
Following the missile strikes, Israel’s military gave the all-clear, allowing citizens to exit shelters.
Military spokesperson Daniel Hagari confirmed no injuries had been reported from the Iranian attack.
He labelled the assault as significant and warned of repercussions. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had authorized the missile launch and remains in a secure location.
Reuters reporters witnessed missiles being intercepted over Jordan’s airspace. Oil prices surged by five percent following the news of the Iranian missile strikes, heightening concerns of a broader conflict between the longstanding adversaries.
In April, a previous barrage of Iranian missiles targeting Israel—marking the first of its kind—was intercepted with assistance from the U.S. military and allies. Israel retaliated with airstrikes in Iran, but a larger escalation was avoided.
Iran Vows Retaliation
Iran has pledged retaliation after Israeli strikes killed the senior leadership of Hezbollah in Lebanon, including its leader Hassan Nasrallah, a key figure in Iran’s regional militia network. Israel confirmed limited ground raids into Lebanon.
In Washington, President Joe Biden announced that the U.S. was ready to assist Israel in defending itself from the missile attacks. “We discussed how the U.S. is prepared to help Israel defend against these attacks and protect American personnel in the region,” Biden posted on X, referring to a meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris and the national security team.
Following Iran’s missile strikes, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres denounced the ongoing violence, calling for an immediate ceasefire. “This escalation must end,” he urged.
Israel’s ground campaign in Lebanon, though described as limited, marks the first such incursion in 18 years, setting Israeli forces against Hezbollah, Iran’s heavily armed proxy in the region. This would signal a significant escalation in the conflict.
Over a thousand Lebanese have been killed, and a million displaced, following weeks of Israeli airstrikes.
On Tuesday, Israel announced the killing of senior Hezbollah commander Muhammad Jaafar Qasir, who was responsible for overseeing weapons transfers from Iran.
In Sidon, a city south of Beirut, mourners gathered over the coffins of those killed in recent Israeli strikes. Abdulhamid Ramadan, a resident, shared his devastation:
“The building was hit, and I couldn’t protect my daughter or anyone. My son and I survived, but I lost my daughter, my wife, and my home. My life changed in an instant.”
Lebanon Resists Invasion
Many Lebanese expressed readiness to resist Israeli forces. “This time, it’s not just Hezbollah— all of Lebanon will fight. We’re united against Israel for the massacres in Gaza and Lebanon,” said Abu Alaa, a resident of Sidon.
In Beirut, Israel targeted a high-rise in the Jnah area and another in the southern suburbs, briefly closing the road to the airport. The Israeli military confirmed a “precise strike.”
Israel has long vowed to secure its northern border, aiming to allow tens of thousands of Israelis who fled during the Gaza war a year ago to return home.
An Israeli official reported that troops had conducted limited overnight raids into southern Lebanon, though no clashes with Hezbollah fighters were recorded.
The military has been carrying out similar operations in recent months but, in a sign of possible escalation, announced the mobilization of four additional reserve brigades for northern border missions.
Israel has a history of conflict in Lebanon, including its 1982 invasion during Lebanon’s civil war, its withdrawal in 2000, and a subsequent war against Hezbollah in 2006.
Since then, the border has been monitored by the U.N., which reported some Israeli incursions but no full-scale invasion.
Hezbollah, a Shi’ite militia established by Iran, has grown into Lebanon’s most powerful armed force and political entity, leading a network of Iranian-backed groups across the Middle East.
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