On Tuesday night, Iran launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles toward Israel in a major escalation of the ongoing conflict. While most of the missiles were intercepted by Israel’s air defenses, some managed to strike central and southern parts of the country.
The Israeli military (IDF) confirmed that the majority of the missiles were shot down, but a few hit areas around Tel Aviv and southern cities. A Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank was reported as the only casualty. U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed that two U.S. Navy destroyers in the Gulf also intercepted some of the missiles aimed at Israel.
This latest attack by Iran is the second major missile strike on Israel this year, following a similar attack in April. The conflict between the two nations has escalated significantly since Israel’s war on Gaza began, where around 40,000 Palestinians have been killed. The war initially flared after a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which left about 1,200 Israelis dead. Israel now faces allegations of genocide at international courts for its actions in Gaza.
Iran’s regional ally, Hezbollah, based in Lebanon, has also been involved in the conflict, firing rockets into northern Israel in retaliation for the violence in Gaza. Israeli airstrikes have targeted southern Lebanon, displacing over 1 million people—a fifth of Lebanon’s population.
The missile attack comes just days after Israel assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and months after the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, an attack attributed to Israel. Iran’s missiles reportedly hit Israeli military airbases and key sites in southern cities, including near Tel Aviv and the Negev desert.
Despite the escalating violence, the United States continues to back Israel both diplomatically and militarily. President Biden’s administration has supplied Israel with weapons used in the conflict, and the U.S. has been vocal in supporting Israel’s defense while urging caution to avoid further escalation.
Israel has since expanded its military operations to include heavy bombings in Lebanon, further intensifying the conflict in the region.
Story by Zenas Fiagbe | Source: Aljazeera , BBC News
