Middle East
The West Bank city of Hebron shows projectiles above the city of Ashdod on October 1, 2024. Photo: Hazem Bader/AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran launched a barrage of missiles at Israel on Tuesday, according to the Israeli military and Iranian semi-official media. Tehran on multiple occasions has vowed retaliation for Israeli aggression.
"All Israeli civilians are in bomb shelters as rockets from Iran are fired at Israel," Israeli defense forces said in a post on X.
Tasnim News, a media outlet affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), posted footage purposely showing Iranian missiles over the skies of Tehran and Isfahan after being launched.
Iran launches barrage of missiles against Zionist entity pic.twitter.com/YMEM2a4yP4
— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) October 1, 2024
Air sirens were sounded, AFP journalists on the ground reported, as dozens of explosions rocked Jerusalem, adding they were not sure if the loud booms were due to projectiles being intercepted or they landed.
Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for Israeli defense forces, said in a televised press conference that he was not aware of any casualties.
The Israeli defense forces added that approximately 10 million civilians are within the areas targetted by Iranian missiles.
US President Joe Biden said in a post on X that he had convened the country's national security team "to discuss Iranian plans to launch an imminent missile attack against Israel."
Biden ordered the US military to "aid Israel's defense" and shoot down Iranian missiles, AFP reported citing a White House official.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a post on X that he spoke with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant on the phone to "discuss the threat of an imminent Iranian attack against Israel," adding that he shared that "over recent days the United States has increased force readiness and continues to maintain significant military capability in the region."
They also discussed "the severe consequences" for Tehran if Iran attacks Israel.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement that the attack was a response to the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and an IRGC commander.
"If the Zionist regime reacts to Iran's operation, it will face heavy attacks," the IRGC warned.
On Friday, an Israeli airstrike assassinated Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other top leaders of the Iran-backed group in Beirut.
Since Nasrallah was killed, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in multiple posts on X has called on "Resistance forces" to determine the fate of the region and confront "the usurping, cruel, malicious Zionist regime."
Haniyeh, political bureau chief for Hamas, was killed while in Tehran on July 31. Iran blames Israel for the assassination.
Amid the events, Iraqi state media, citing the transportation ministry, reported that the government has closed the country's airspace and temporarily suspended all flights.
The conflict between Lebanon’s Hezbollah group, backed by Iran, and Israel has intensified since October 7, when Palestinian Hamas militants launched a large-scale incursion into southern Israel, killing more than 1,170 people, according to Israeli figures.
Israel responded with a massive ongoing offensive on Gaza, killing over 41,600 people and injuring more than 96,400, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
On Monday, Israel launched border operations against Lebanese Hezbollah targets. US and other officials have cautioned against a possible Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon.
Updated at 8:53 p.m.
Comments
Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.
To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.
We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.
Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.
Post a comment