———- Dozens of explosions boomed across Jerusalem on Tuesday night as air raid sirens rang out
———- IRGC warns of ‘crushing’ response to Israel’s retaliation
———- Says the attack is in response to Israeli attacks
———- ‘Severe consequences for Iran’, warns Pentagon Chief
———- Biden says US ready to help Tel Aviv defend itself
DM Monitoring
TEHRAN: Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday in retaliation for Israel’s campaign against Teh-ran’s Hezbollah allies in Lebanon.
Alarms sounded across Israel and explosions could be heard in Jerusalem and the Jordan River valley after Israelis piled into bomb shelters.
Reporters on state television lay flat on the ground during live broadcasts. Reuters journalists saw mis-siles intercepted in the airspace of neighbouring Jordan.
Israeli media reports said as many as 100 to 400 missiles had been launched.
Dozens of explosions boomed across Jerusalem on Tuesday night as air raid sirens rang out, AFP jour-nalists reported.
“A short while ago, missiles were launched from Iran towards the State of Israel,” the military said in a statement. It said sirens were sounded across Israel, including in Jerusalem.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they launched tens of missiles toward Israel and warned that if Israel retaliated Tehran’s response would be “more crushing and ruinous”, Iranian state TV reported.
Meanwhile, United States President Joe Biden has convened national security meeting to discuss Ira-nian missile attack against Israel. “We discussed how the United States is prepared to help Israel defend against these attacks, and pro-tect American personnel in the region,” Biden said in a statement on X.
Iran’s missile attack on Tuesday was serious and will have consequences, Israel’s military spokesman said, declining to specify how and when Israel would respond.
Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said he was not aware of any casualties from the missile volley. He said there were a few hits in the centre of the country and in the south.
President Joe Biden has directed the US military to aid Israel’s defence against Iranian attacks and shoot down missiles targeting Israel, the White House National Security Council said.
Biden and US Vice President Kamala Harris are monitoring the attack from the White House situation room and receiving regular updates, NSC spokesperson Sean Savett said in a post on X.
Israel has shut down air travel in and out of the country, and Iraq, which lies directly to the east of Isra-el’s easterly neighbour Jordan, has shut down its air space, Reuters reports.
Just prior to these latest developments, Israeli army radio said that all take-off and landing at Ben Gurion international airport near Tel Aviv has stopped after Iran launched missiles towards Israel.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for launching a barrage of missiles at Israel, stating it was in retaliation for the recent killings of their key allies, Hezbollah and Ha-mas leaders.
According to Israeli army radio, nearly 200 missiles were launched from Iran, though it remains unclear how many reached their targets. Eyewitness reports mainly describe missiles seen flying overhead.
The IRGC stated the attack was in response to the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July and the deaths of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian Revolutionary Guard deputy commander Abbas Nilforoushan in Lebanon last week.
A second wave of missiles has been reported flying above Jerusalem, Guardian reported.
Barely 10 minutes after a first flurry of bombs whizzing overhead, a second wave of missiles passed over the city, apparently from a different direction, with the bright flashes of interceptions lighting up the sky as the sound of loud booms rang out across Jerusalem.
Iran’s UN mission describes attack on Israel as ‘legal, rational, and legitimate response’
“Should the Zionist regime dare to respond or commit further acts of malevolence, a subsequent and crushing response will ensue. Regional states and the Zionists’ supporters are advised to part ways with the regime,” the mission wrote.
Iranian order to launch missiles at Israel was made by Supreme Leader Khamenei, senior official tells media.
Iran fully ready for any retaliation after missiles launch at Israel, senior Iranian official says
Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei remains in secure location after missiles fired at Israel, senior Iranian official tells Reuters.
Tehran had informed Russia ahead of missile attacks on Israel, senior Iranian official told Reuters.
US bases in Iraq and the region will be targets if the United States joins any response to Iranian strikes on Israel or if Israel uses Iraqi airspace against Tehran, Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups said on Tues-day.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Tuesday said she condemned the Iranian missile at-tack on Israel in the “strongest possible terms”, saying Iran must stop the attack immediately. “We have urgently warned Iran about this dangerous escalation. Iran must stop the attack immediately. It is driving the region further to the brink of the abyss,” Baerbock said in a post on social media platform X.
US was alerted by Iran through diplomatic channels ‘shortly before the attacks’, said a senior Iranian official.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jor-dan’s King Abdullah, Sky News said on Tuesday. Starmer’s office did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment.
Israeli military ordered the closure of a new military area in the region of Dovov, Tivbon and Malkia in northern Israel, it said on Tuesday. Entering this area is strictly prohibited, the Israeli army added in a statement.
Earlier, Israel had warned of a potential widespread missile attack from Iran following ground raids by Israeli forces into Lebanon and aerial bombardments targeting Hezbollah positions. This marks Israel’s first ground campaign in Lebanon in 18 years, setting the stage for direct conflict with Hezbollah, Iran’s most powerful proxy in the Middle East.
“This is the most significant escalation since last year’s Gaza conflict,” said Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, Israel’s military spokesman. He added that Iran’s missile strikes are expected to be on a large scale. “We urge everyone to heed the warnings and take shelter immediately.”
