Jerusalem, Oct 2: Iran launched a series of ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday night, targeting key military and security sites. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the attack, describing it as retaliation for the killing of senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and IRGC commander Major General Seyyed Abbas Nilforoushan by Israeli forces.
Reports suggest that around 200 missiles were fired, with the IRGC warning of additional strikes if Israel retaliates. Israeli air defenses, with assistance from the U.S., intercepted the majority of the missiles, though isolated impacts were reported in central and southern Israel.
Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari highlighted the effectiveness of the joint Israeli-U.S. defense systems and confirmed that the Israeli Air Force would continue its operations. He stressed that Iran’s actions were pushing the region toward further escalation, with Israel poised to respond at a time of its choosing.
Hours after the Iranian strike, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a Security Cabinet meeting said: “Iran made a big mistake tonight, and it will pay for it.”
Additionally, US President Joe Biden has directed American forces to aid Israel’s defence against Iran, which launched missile attacks against the Jewish state.
US National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said in a post on social media platform X that President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris “are monitoring the Iranian attack against Israel from the White House Situation Room & receiving regular updates from their national security team”.
