Washington: US President Joe Biden has directed the American military to aid Israel's defence against Iranian attack and shoot down missiles targeting Israelis on Tuesday, according to White House National Security Council. This came as Iran launched nearly 200 missiles at Israel, in a grave escalation of the ongoing conflict in Lebanon and Gaza.
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris "are monitoring the Iranian attack against Israel from the White House Situation Room & receiving regular updates from their national security team", said NSC spokesperson Sean Savett. Biden directed the US military to aid Israel’s defense against Iranian attacks & shoot down missiles targeting Israel, he added.
Residents were ordered to shelter in place and remain close to bomb shelters before the arrival of Iranian missiles. Israel's Air Forces have claimed to have shot down several of the missiles fired by Tehran as it marked yet another escalation of the conflict in the region that raised the prospects of an all-out war. The orders to shelter in place were sent to Israelis' mobile phones and announced on national television. TV stations reported sirens in parts of Jerusalem as well as central Israel.
Israel says Iranian attack over, warns of 'consequences'
Meanwhile, the Israeli military said citizens can "leave protected spaces in all areas across the country," following a situational assessment and very few injuries were reported. IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the mass Iranian attack was serious and would have consequences.
Israeli army radio said nearly 200 missiles had been launched into Israel from Iran, as alarms sounded across Israel and explosions could be heard in Jerusalem and the Jordan River. Iran said it was fully ready for any retaliation after missile launch at Israel. Meanwhile, one was killed and several others were injured after rocket fragments fell into the Palestinian city of Jericho in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a security source told Reuters.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had reportedly entered a shelter and is receiving updates from there. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin earlier spoke to his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant where they discussed the severe consequences for Iran in the event Iran chooses to launch a direct military attack against Israel. The Israeli airspace has been closed following the attack, with Jordan and Iraq following suit.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Tuesday said she condemned the Iranian missile attack 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.
Iran warns of harsher response if Israel retaliates
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said in a statement that the missile launches were in retaliation for the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Lebanon chief Hassan Nasrallah and other key members of the Iran-backed proxies in the Middle East. They further warned that if Israel retaliated Tehran's response would be "more crushing and ruinous", according to Iranian media.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gave the order to launch missiles at Israel, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday, adding that Tehran "is fully ready for any retaliation". Iran's mission to the UN called the attack as "legal, rational, and legitimate response to the terrorist acts of the Zionist regime".
"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," he said.
Additionally, Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups said US military bases in Iraq and the region would be targets if the United States joined any response to Iranian strikes on Israel. Oil prices shot up five per cent on the news of the Iranian missile strikes, which raise the prospect of a wider war between the two arch-enemies.
US warned about possible Iranian attack
Earlier, US official warned of “severe consequences” should Iran launch a ballistic missile against Israel. US ships and aircraft are positioned in the region to assist Israel in the event of an attack from Iran, which a second official said could happen tonight. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence.
"This morning, @VP and I convened our national security team to discuss Iranian plans to launch an imminent missile attack against Israel. We discussed how the United States is prepared to help Israel defend against these attacks, and protect American personnel in the region," said US President Joe Biden.
The firing of missiles came after Israeli troops launched ground raids into Lebanon, in the biggest escalation of regional warfare since fighting erupted in Gaza a year ago. Israel's apparent ground raids in Lebanon follow its deadly detonation of booby-trapped Hezbollah pagers, two weeks of airstrikes, and then its killing on Friday of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, one of the heaviest blows in decades to the group.
(with agency input)
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