On the last day of the Jewish year, Color Red Sirens sounded across the country as Iran launched a massive attack on Israel. Israel claimed that the Islamist regime fired at least 180 ballistic missiles, targeting cities all over the country and sending almost all of the ten million residents into shelters. The sole casualty reported was a 37-year-old Palestinian Arab man in the village of Nu’eima, near Jericho. Four other Palestinians were reportedly injured by shrapnel from the same missile near Jericho.
Two Israelis were injured by falling shrapnel and some damage and fires were reported.
Netanyahu warned that the Islamist regime of Iran had made a “big mistake tonight” and vowed that “it will pay for it.”
“The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our determination to retaliate against our enemies,” said Netanyahu. “[Hamas leader Yahya] Sinwar and [top Hamas military commander Muhammad] Deif did not understand this, [Hezbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah and [Hezbollah chief of staff Fuad] Shukr did not understand this, and there are probably those in Tehran who do not understand this.”
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said the attack targeted three military bases. Iran claimed the attack was in “self-defense”, in retaliation for Israeli attacks that killed leaders of Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Iranian military. It specified Hezbollah leader Nasrallah and Revolutionary Guard Gen. Abbas Nilforoushan, both killed in an Israeli airstrike last week in Beirut. It also mentioned Ismail Haniyeh, a top leader in Hamas who was assassinated in Tehran in a suspected Israeli attack in July.
The Pentagon confirmed the US Navy fired around a dozen interceptors. Jordan also claimed its air defenses intercepted missiles and drones over its airspace.
This marks the second direct attack by Iran against Israel. On 13 April 2024, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) sent around 170 drones, over 30 cruise missiles, and more than 120 ballistic missiles toward Israel. Approximately 99% of the incoming weapons were destroyed by air defenses before entering Israeli airspace. The only injury in that assault was sustained by a seven-year-old Bedouin girl in southern Israel. The attack was the largest attempted drone strike in history, intended to overwhelm anti-aircraft defenses.
In the hours before the attack, the US warned about a possible Iranian attack. Iran claimed to have given the US administration prior warning to the attack but Iran’s mission to the United Nations later denied that claim.
After the Iranian attack in April, Reuters cited a Turkish diplomatic source speaking on condition of anonymity as saying that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had spoken to both his US and Iranian counterparts in the previous week to discuss the planned Iranian attack on Israel. This was confirmed in a public statement by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.
A senior official in the Biden administration deflected this claim but confirmed there had been communication with Iran.
“We received a message from the Iranians through the Swiss as this [attack] was ongoing. This was basically suggesting that they were finished after this, but it was still an ongoing attack. So that was (their) message to us,” the U.S. official said.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain “completely condemns” Iran’s action but made an implicit warning to Israel against “escalation.” A spokesman said, “The prime minister said he will work alongside partners and do everything possible to push for de-escalation and push for a diplomatic solution.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a statement condemning the “broadening of the Middle East conflict” that made no mention of Iran, which launched 181 ballistic missiles at Israel earlier tonight.
“This must stop. We absolutely need a ceasefire,” Guterres said.
Barak Ravid reported on Axios that Israel will likely launch a “significant retaliation” to Tuesday’s massive missile attack within days that could target oil production facilities inside Iran and other strategic sites, including Iran’s nuclear facilities. This response could come in the form of airstrikes or covert activities.
Moments before Iran launched its missiles, a shooting attack in Tel Aviv left at least six people dead
Many foreign media focused on condemning a potential Israeli response.
