The Middle East conflict worsened on Tuesday when Iran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles across Israel, including the regional capital Tel Aviv.
Some of the missiles were intercepted by Iron Dome, but many others landed, including in populated areas, the report said.
The Israeli military acknowledged in a statement that “a missile was fired from Iran toward Israel some time ago.”
Air raid sirens were sounded across the country, including major cities such as Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Loud explosions were heard in Tel Aviv, lighting up the sky as Israeli air defense systems intercepted many of the incoming missiles.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said in a statement that the missile attack was in retaliation for the assassinations of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, and Iranian generals.
Iran has warned that further missile attacks will follow if it is attacked.
The missile barrage came just one day after Israeli forces launched an unprecedented ground invasion into southern Lebanon targeting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia.
Hezbollah, which has been in an armed conflict with Israel for decades, responded with missile attacks on Israeli targets, including the Grillot base near Tel Aviv, home to the headquarters of Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad.
U.S. officials expressed strong support for Israel in the face of the attack.
A senior White House official warned that a direct attack on Israel would have “serious consequences for Iran.”
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris held an emergency meeting with national security officials on Tuesday to discuss plans to support Israel and protect American personnel in the region.
The United States has also begun mobilizing additional troops to the Middle East, with thousands of troops being sent to strengthen the 40,000 troops already in the region.
The situation remains unstable as both Iran and Israel continue to exchange threats.
The Israeli military has called in additional reserve brigades to strengthen its northern border and is conducting airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, further increasing the risk of a wider regional conflict.
Recall that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in a targeted Israeli attack over the weekend, sparking a global reaction amid threats of retaliatory strikes by Iran.
