Editor-DN
New Delhi:
Iran fired 181 ballistic missiles into Israel on Tuesday night, setting off air raid sirens across the country and forcing nearly 10 million Israelis into bomb shelters. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that a large portion of the missiles were intercepted by the country’s advanced missile defense systems, including the Iron Dome and Aero systems. However, several projectiles managed to penetrate the defensive shield, causing minor damage and minor injuries.
Quick answer
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attack, saying Iran had made a “big mistake” and warned Tehran that it would “pay the price.”
The missile salvo is Iran’s second direct attack on Israel this year, following a similar attack in April, which was quickly repelled by Israeli and coalition defenses. Tuesday’s attacks, according to Iranian officials, were in retaliation for the recent deaths of senior Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Israeli military operations.
Read on “We will act in time, where we decide”: Israel to Iran after missile attack
Spokesperson of the Israeli Embassy in India, Guy Nair, in an exclusive conversation with NDTV, said that Tehran will be given a befitting reply. “If they (Ayatollah Ali Khamenei) intend to start a full-scale war with Israel, it will be a mistake for them (Iran),” Mr Nair told NDTV. “Israel’s response will be something strategic and clear, not all-out war. I don’t think either side wants that.”
Iran’s ambassador to India, Iraj Elahi, has warned that his country will “attack Israel again” if it does not ease tensions in the region. “If the Hitler of our time (Netanyahu) stops his brutality and hostility, his country will not have to face the consequences,” Mr Elahi told NDTV.
US warns of dire consequences
In response to the attack, US national security adviser Jack Sullivan issued a stern warning to Iran, saying the missile attack represented a “significant escalation” and would have “serious consequences”. During a press briefing at the White House, Sullivan pledged that the US would stand by Israel and support any retaliation.
Live Updates | “There will be consequences, there will be plans”: Israel after Iran’s missile attack
US President Joe Biden echoed the sentiment, expressing full support for Israel and indicating that military discussions are ongoing to determine an appropriate response. Biden assured that the US military would help defend Israel and deter Iranian missile attacks. Asked about the scope of U.S. involvement, Biden commented that discussions on a joint response were “active” and “ongoing.”
Attack and aftermath
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for the missile attack targeting three Israeli military bases near Tel Aviv. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araqchi said the attack was over as long as Israel did not advance further. The IRGC warned that any Israeli retaliation would result in “crushing attacks”.
Although most of the missiles were intercepted, there were scattered reports of damage and injuries. In Tel Aviv, two civilians were lightly wounded by shrapnel, while in the West Bank city of Jericho, a Palestinian was killed by a missile fragment, according to the AFP news agency. The Israeli military immediately announced that the immediate threat had passed, and civilians were allowed to leave the bomb shelters after an hour.
Regional and global implications
Tehran’s missile attack comes amid growing fears of a wider regional conflict. In the same vein, Israeli forces launched ground raids targeting Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon. Lebanese authorities reported that at least 55 people were killed in the latest Israeli airstrikes, adding to the death toll since the conflict escalated in early October.
Lebanon’s health ministry says more than 1,800 people have been killed since the conflict began, while hundreds of thousands have been displaced across the region. The prospect of further tensions between Israel and Iran-backed groups in Lebanon and Gaza has raised alarm in the international community.
International reaction
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack, called for an immediate ceasefire and warned against wider conflict in the Middle East. “This must stop,” Guterres said in a statement. We desperately need a ceasefire.
As tensions continued to rise, Jordan, Iraq and Israel closed their airspace, and flights were suspended at Tehran International Airport, Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport and other regional hubs. As neighboring countries including Iraq and Jordan brace for further fallout, Iranian-backed Iraqi militias have threatened to target US bases in the region if Washington becomes involved in the conflict.
