Iran launched a massive missile strike on Israel on Tuesday in retaliation for the killings of Iran-backed militant leaders Hassan Nasrallah of Hezbollah and Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas. The attack sent Israelis scrambling into shelters as sirens blared across the country, though the Israeli military quickly announced that a large number of the missiles had been intercepted.
The Israeli military confirmed the missile launch, stating, “A short while ago, missiles were launched from Iran towards the State of Israel,” while also reassuring the public that the threat had been neutralized after about an hour, allowing citizens to leave protected spaces. Reports indicate that between 150 and 200 missiles were fired by Iran in this assault.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps declared that the attack targeted Tel Aviv, Israel’s commercial hub, in response to the deaths of Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli strike on southern Beirut, and Haniyeh, who died in a Tehran bombing widely attributed to Israeli forces.
The missile barrage marks Iran’s second direct attack on Israel in 2024, following a missile and drone strike in April that was carried out after an Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.
Explosions were reported in Jerusalem by AFP journalists, and shrapnel from the missiles injured two individuals in central Israel. Sirens and air raid warnings were heard across major Israeli cities as the country’s missile defense systems intercepted the majority of the projectiles.
In response, Israeli airspace was closed to civilian flights, and neighboring countries Iraq, Lebanon, and Jordan followed suit, shutting their airspace amid heightened regional tensions. Jordanian forces intercepted missiles heading toward Israel from the east.
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The United States quickly moved to support Israel, with President Joe Biden instructing the U.S. military to assist in defending the country, including intercepting Iranian missiles. Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the escalating conflict and called for an immediate ceasefire, warning of the broader implications for the Middle East.
Simultaneously, Israel has expanded its ground operations in southern Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah forces along the border. The Israeli military’s offensive comes amid growing international calls for de-escalation following weeks of airstrikes, which have displaced thousands and led to the deaths of numerous civilians.
While Iran has declared that it will not deploy troops directly to confront Israel, Tehran has vowed that Nasrallah’s death would lead to Israel’s “destruction.” The situation has drawn widespread international concern as Israeli and Iranian-backed forces across the region continue to engage in hostilities.
