Israel said early Wednesday that its missile attack on Israel had ended without any provocation, while Israel and the United States pledged to retaliate against Tehran’s escalating actions, raising fears of a wider war.
Washington said it would work with longtime ally Israel to ensure Iran faces “serious consequences” for Tuesday’s attack.
The U.N. Security Council scheduled a meeting about the Middle East on Wednesday, and the European Union called for an immediate ceasefire.
“Our actions are finished unless the Israeli regime decides to invite further retaliation. In that scenario, our response will be stronger and more powerful,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a post on Twitter early Wednesday. Will happen.”
Israel resumed its bombardment of Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, early Wednesday, hitting at least three targets it said belonged to the group.
Large plumes of smoke were seen rising from parts of the suburbs. Israel issued new evacuation orders for the area, which has been largely evacuated after days of heavy attacks.
Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles on Tuesday in its largest-ever military attack against Israel, according to Israel. Sirens were sounded across the country and explosions rocked Jerusalem and the Jordan River valley as the entire population was told to seek shelter in bomb shelters.
There were no reports of injuries in Israel, but one person died in the occupied West Bank, officials there said.
Iran described the operation as defensive and solely targeted at Israeli military facilities. Iran’s state news agency said three Israeli military bases were targeted.
Tehran said its attack was a response to Israel’s killings of militant leaders and aggression against the Iran-backed armed movement Hezbollah in Lebanon and Gaza.
Israel activated air defenses against Iran’s bombing and most of the missiles were intercepted “by the defensive coalition led by Israel and the United States,” Israeli Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a video on Twitter. A serious and dangerous increase.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to retaliate. “Iran made a big mistake tonight – and it will pay a price for it,” Netanyahu said at the start of an emergency political-security cabinet meeting late Tuesday, according to a statement.
The General Staff of Iran’s armed forces said in a statement carried by state media that any Israeli response to Tuesday’s missile attack would be accompanied by “massive destruction” of Israeli infrastructure, as well as any involved in it. A promise would be made to target Israeli ally’s regional assets.
Israel’s escalating attacks on Lebanon over the past two weeks, including the beginning of a ground campaign there on Monday, and its years-long conflict in the Gaza Strip have heightened fears that Iran and the United States could be drawn into a regional war.
Iran’s military used hypersonic Fatah missiles for the first time on Tuesday and 90% of its missiles successfully hit their targets in Israel, the Revolutionary Guards said.
Israel’s Hagari said there were limited attacks on central and southern Israel. A video released by the army showed a school in the central city of Gedera being heavily damaged by an Iranian missile.
The Pentagon said US Navy warships fired about a dozen interceptors against Iranian missiles headed towards Israel. Britain said its forces played a role “in efforts to prevent further escalation in the Middle East”, without elaborating.
US President Joe Biden expressed full US support for Israel and described the Iran attack as “ineffective”. Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for the US presidency, supported Biden’s stance and said the US will not hesitate to defend its interests against Iran.
Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon told reporters, “We will take action. Iran will soon feel the consequences of its actions. The reaction will be painful.”
America does not urge restraint
The White House similarly promised “severe consequences” for Iran and spokesman Jake Sullivan said at a Washington briefing that the US “will work with Israel to resolve this matter.”
Sullivan did not specify what those consequences might be, but he did not urge Israel to exercise restraint as the US did in April when Iran launched a drone and missile attack on Israel. The Pentagon said the airstrikes carried out by Iran on Tuesday were almost double the number in April.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned it as “one escalation of tensions after another”, saying, “This must stop. We definitely need a ceasefire.”
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also called for an immediate regional ceasefire. “The dangerous cycle of attacks and counter-attacks… is spiraling out of control,” he posted on Twitter.
Downing Street said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke to the leaders of Germany and France and they agreed on the need for restraint from all sides.
Nearly 1,900 people have been killed and more than 9,000 wounded in cross-border fighting in Lebanon in almost a year, according to Lebanese government figures Tuesday, most of which have occurred in the past two weeks.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
