After the attack, the Israeli army spokesperson said that very few people had been injured and that people were able to leave the air raid shelters.
Washington’s warning was very real. A senior American administration official, quoted by the AP agency, on condition of anonymity, said Tuesday that Iran was preparing to an “imminent” attack against the Jewish state.
Some time later, the fear was confirmed. Late Tuesday, the Israeli army announced that the country was the target of a salvo of missiles sent from Iran while the population was asked to go to shelters as quickly as possible.
Air traffic was immediately closed.
Soon, explosions were heard. In the end, the Israeli army announced that Iran had fired around 180 missiles towards the country.
Dozens of explosions were heard while sirens rang out.
Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the country’s air defense system was fully operational, detecting and intercepting threats.
“However, the defense is not airtight”he said.
Joe Biden, for his part, gave the order to US military to intercept missiles targeting Israel, according to the White House.
After the attack, the Israeli army spokesperson stated that very few people were injured and that the population could come out of the air raid shelters.
The Iranian attack on Israel was judged “ineffective”according to the White House
According to the governor of the city of Jericho in the occupied West Bank, a Palestinian was killed by missile fragments during the attack.
The Iranian government quickly claimed to have launched dozens of missiles.
The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas welcomed this attack against Israel and assured that it wasa “revenge” after the assassinations by Israel of the leader of Hamas Ismaïl Haniyeh and of the Lebanese Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah.
This is the second Iranian attack on Israel from its own territory.
Last April, Tehran had already launched more 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles and 120 ballistic missiles.
On Tuesday evening, Israel threatened retaliation against Iran. The Israeli army spokesperson promised that this attack “will have consequences”. He added that the country remained on alert.
These attacks occur while the Israeli army continues its operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah. The IDF on Tuesday warned people to evacuate nearly two dozen Lebanese border communities hours after announcing what it called limited ground operations against Hezbollah.
The militant group denied the entry of Israeli troops into Lebanon, but hours later the Israeli army announced that it had also carried out dozens of ground raids in southern Lebanon almost a year ago. Israel released video footage purporting to show its soldiers operating in houses and tunnels where Hezbollah kept weapons. There was no immediate confirmation, but if true, it would be another humiliating blow for Iran-backed Hezbollah, the Middle East’s most powerful armed group.
Hezbollah is in shock after weeks of targeted strikes which notably killed its emblematic leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and several of its senior commanders.
The Israeli Prime Minister issued a warning on Monday to Iran, which supports Hezbollah and Hamas. ““There is no place in the Middle East that Israel cannot reach.” said Benjamin Netanyahu.
To note that the Iranian attack was preceded during the day by an attack in Tel Aviv. Six people were killed and several others were injured after an automatic weapons attack perpetrated by two shooters, who were “neutralized,” Israeli police said.