Tehran: Iran's Revolutionary Guards issued its first statement after launching over 200 missiles at Israel, saying it launched the attack to avenge Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and IRGC Gen. Abbas Nilforushan, the latter two killed in an Israeli airstrike last week in Beirut. It warned of a 'harsher response' if Israel retaliates to the attack.
The Israeli Army on Tuesday said Iran has fired missiles on Israel, hours after the US warned of an 'imminent attack' days after a series of attacks by Israel that killed more than 1,000 people in Lebanon and senior leadership of Hezbollah militant group, including its head Hassan Nasrallah. The Israeli Army said Iran had launched over 200 missiles targeting approximately 10 million civilians.
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.
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". A 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.
Iran's mission to the UN said, "Iran’s legal, rational, and legitimate response to the terrorist acts of the Zionist regime—which involved targeting Iranian nationals and interests and infringing upon the national sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran—has been duly carried out."
"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.
US warned about possible Iranian attack
Earlier, a 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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