Iran launched an unprecedented missile attack on Israel. At least 200 missiles hit Tel Aviv and Jerusalem within hours of the White House warning. The attack took place on Tuesday around 7:30 pm local time. Israel’s air defense system was able to intercept some of them. The extent of casualties or damage was not immediately known.
A witness from Jerusalem told The Guardian Online he saw missiles flying overhead towards the coastal city. The missile engine was clearly visible from below. They heard explosions in the distance. Iran has attacked Israel before. But this is the first such big attack.
The attack was actually carried out in two stages. The second round of attack took place 10 minutes after the first round of missile strikes. The next round was attacked from the other side. At this time, the air defense system intercepted a few missiles, but the evening sky became bright. Recently Iran announced revenge after the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniya and Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon. This attack was carried out in the context of this. In this situation, Israel has warned of a counter attack.
CNN quoted Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hageri as saying that several Iranian missiles had direct hits in central and southern Israel. They are watching the situation. He could not confirm the casualties.
Iran says it carried out the attack to protest the killing of thousands of people in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as the killing of leaders and commanders of Hamas, Hezbollah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC says Israel will retaliate swiftly if it responds. Al Jazeera reported that at least two people were injured in the Iranian attack in Tel Aviv. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the escalation of tensions in the Middle East. In this context, the Israeli military has advised its citizens to remain in protected areas until further notice.
Mohammad Khairi, a Palestinian journalist from Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, said he saw dozens of missiles flying overhead. They were going non-stop. Pictures released by the media showed Israeli residents in bomb shelters in panic.
Meanwhile, Israel launched a ground operation in Lebanon, ignoring the obstacles of the allied countries. In addition, the Israeli military or IDF is attacking various targets of Hezbollah in the southern region using tank-cannons. Meanwhile, they have asked to evacuate 30 villages along the border. Türkiye condemned the ground operation. And Spain says that the operation should be suspended immediately. Attacks continue on various cities including Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. Hezbollah is also responding by firing rockets.
Israel calls this military operation, which began on Tuesday, a ‘limited operation’. According to various media sources, Israeli commandos and paratroopers have entered the border. In the morning, an IDF officer said that they are fighting fiercely with the armed organization Hezbollah. However, it was later reported that no such fight has taken place yet. They did not engage in combat. Iran-backed Hezbollah says Israeli troops have not entered Lebanon.
In addition to tank-cannon shelling in the southern border areas, Israel also carried out airstrikes on various cities including Beirut on Tuesday. Although there were casualties, the actual number is not known. More than a thousand people, including children, have been killed so far in Israel’s attack on Lebanon, which began last week. In this situation, US officials told AFP that Iran could launch a missile attack on Israel. If this happens, the officials also warned to retaliate.
Civilians began to leave southern Lebanon immediately after the war began. But many complained that Israel did not give them enough time to move. In the pictures and videos published in the media, it can be seen that many families are staying under the open sky with their children. At least 600 Christians from the southern village of Ain Abal took refuge in a local church. They are believed to eventually move to the capital, Beirut. They were waiting for the military vehicle for that.
However, a spokesman for Hezbollah said that the Israeli military could not enter their border. If they enter, they are ready for face-to-face combat. Two units of the Lebanese security forces told Reuters that several units of the Israeli military crossed the border into Lebanon and carried out an overnight operation.
Hezbollah said it attacked Israel’s commercial capital Tel Aviv on Tuesday with powerful Fadi-4 missiles. Such missiles are capable of carrying large amounts of explosives and attacking distant installations. Hezbollah has recently increased its use. The organization says it attacked the headquarters of Israel’s military intelligence agency Mossad in a suburb of Tel Aviv after killing its top leader Hassan Nasrallah. At least two people were injured in the attacks in central Israel. A missile is damaged when it hits the highway.
Najib Mikati, prime minister of Lebanon’s interim government, said Lebanon was going through one of the most dangerous times in its history. He said this on Tuesday during a meeting with ambassadors of various UN agencies and donor countries. Lebanese authorities say more than 1,100 people have been killed in eight days of Israeli attacks. More than six thousand were injured. More than 1 million Lebanese people have been displaced. In this situation, the ground operation has increased the panic among them. Abu Ala, a resident of Sidon, a port city in the southern part of Lebanon, said that this time, not only Hezbollah, but the whole of Lebanon will fight. Because of the carnage in Gaza and Lebanon, people across the country are committed to fighting Israel.
The United States has said it has ordered an unspecified number of troops to be ready for deployment in the Middle East. On Monday, Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said an unspecified number of troops had been kept ready to carry out the order. In the context of this, various countries are evacuating their citizens from Lebanon. In the meantime, Poland, UK and France have started this activity.
Türkiye and Russia condemned the ground operation. Türkiye described it as an illegal move. Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albarez demanded the end of the campaign. He said, there is a fear of spreading this kind of conflict in South Lebanon to the whole region. On the other hand, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said that Israel should not repeat the past and not get stuck in Lebanon. Before this, Israel fought with Hezbollah in 2006. They lost then.
The BBC’s international editor, Jesse Bowen, said that no one can say for sure which way the conflict is going. Earlier the ‘rules of the game’ were followed. But now there are no rules in this game. Iran may be involved in this; The US may also proceed with warships. There is a real threat of a major war.
Israel launched a ground operation in Gaza after 1,200 people were killed in an attack by Hamas on October 7 last year. Later, Hezbollah launched rocket attacks on Israel in protest of the attack on Gaza. More than 41,000 people have been killed in Gaza so far in Israel’s attack.