Iran fires 180 ballistic missiles at Israel: IDF

Iran fires 200 ballistic missiles at Israel — Iranian missiles rain over the Old City in Jerusalem, Israel, October 1, 2024. Photo: Israel Defense Forces IDF/video/via iKurd.net

JERUSALEM,— Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday in retaliation for Israeli military actions targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon, an ally of Tehran.

Across Israel, air raid sirens echoed as residents sought shelter. Explosions were heard in Jerusalem and the Jordan River valley, while journalists broadcasting live took cover on the ground.

Israeli army radio reported that nearly 180 missiles had been launched from Iran, though the majority were intercepted by Israel’s advanced missile defense system, limiting the damage.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed the missile launches, claiming “dozens of missiles” were fired and warning that any Israeli retaliation would bring an even “more crushing and ruinous” response.

Following the attacks, the Israeli military issued an all-clear message, allowing citizens to leave their shelters.

Military spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari confirmed that, despite the intensity of the assault, no injuries had been reported on the Israeli side. He acknowledged the gravity of the situation, stating the attack would not go unanswered.

In a separate incident, one person was killed and several others injured after rocket debris fell in Jericho, a city in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, according to a security source cited by Reuters.

A senior Iranian official disclosed to Reuters that the missile strikes had been authorized by Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who remains at a secure location. Reuters journalists also reported witnessing missile intercepts over Jordanian airspace.

In a statement aired on Iranian state television, Tehran officially claimed responsibility for the missile strikes. The statement referenced key figures such as Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Revolutionary Guard General Abbas Nilforushan, both of whom were killed in recent Israeli airstrikes in Beirut.

It also mentioned Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was reportedly assassinated in Tehran in July in a suspected Israeli operation. The Iranian government characterized Tuesday’s attack as merely a “first wave,” without offering further details.

This latest confrontation follows an earlier missile exchange in April 2024 when Iranian missiles were intercepted with the help of the U.S. and its allies. Israel retaliated with airstrikes on Iranian targets, but broader escalation was avoided at the time.

Political analyst Henase Karim to iKurd News that “the recent Iranian missile strike on Israel amounts to an unofficial declaration of war,” She emphasizes that “Israel has every right to defend itself, as it is under attack not only from Iran directly but also from pro-Iranian Hezbollah militias in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.”

(with files from Reuters, AP)