Iran launched about 180 high-speed ballistic missiles in an attack against Israel, reportedly in retaliation for the recent assassinations of key figures, including Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, but Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepted most of the rockets.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility, stating their strikes targeted critical military sites such as Nevatim and Tel Nof airbases.
Iran’s decision to launch these high-speed ballistic missiles at Israel was intended to inflict serious damage, unlike the drone and missile attack in April.
Their sheer speed makes ballistic weapons challenging to intercept, but the initial reports indicate Tuesday’s night attack was a military failure, with no fatalities in Israel and only one in the West Bank despite the large number of projectiles launched. One Palestinian was killed in Jericho as a result of the attacks.
The missile barrage marked a notable escalation, featuring Iran’s hypersonic Fattah-2 missile for the first time.
Despite extensive damage reported in Israeli cities, including hits near military installations, the Iron Dome defense system managed to intercept many projectiles, resulting in minimal casualties.
In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu characterized the attack as a failure, affirming Israel’s determination to defend itself and hinting at potential retaliatory measures.
The Israeli Prime Minister vowed to respond to the attack – sparking worries among its allies that the conflict in the Middle East could escalate further.
“Iran made a big mistake tonight – and it will pay for it,” said Netanyahu. “The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our determination to retaliate against our enemies.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it intercepted many of the missiles, although some landed on the ground in Israel and the occupied West Bank.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the attack by Iran was “effectively defeated.”
This incident reflects rising tensions, with both sides signaling readiness for continued conflict. Iran’s move appears to be an attempt to establish a new deterrence equilibrium after a series of Israeli operations that have significantly weakened its regional allies.
The IRGC said that its attack was aimed specifically at three military bases in the Tel Aviv area.
The attack, which was accompanied by a large-scale cyberattack, employed Iran’s new Fatah hypersonic ballistic missiles for the first time, according to Iranian state media.
The Israeli military said it intercepted “a large number” of the 180 ballistic missiles launched by Iran, but that there were “isolated” impacts in central and southern Israel. The IRGC said that 90 percent of the projectiles fired hit their targets.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the American military “coordinated closely” with its Israeli counterparts to shoot down the projectiles.
“US naval destroyers joined Israeli air defense units in firing interceptors to shoot down inbound missiles,” said Sullivan at the White House.
Sullivan said no deaths were reported in Israel: “In short, based on what we know at this point, this attack appears to have been defeated and ineffective.”