A memorial for Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Tehran. Photo: Hossein Beris/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty
Iran launched around 100 ballistic missiles toward Israel the first wave of an attack on Tuesday, with a second wave now underway, Israeli officials say.
State of play: Numerous explosions have been reported in central Israel, and Israeli missile defense systems lit up the sky as they activated to intercept the incoming missiles.
The big picture: Tehran has been vowing retaliation after a series of recent Israeli assassinations. That retaliation is now be underway.
- "A short time ago missiles were launched from Iran into the territory of the State of Israel," an IDF spokesperson said. "You are asked to be vigilant and act exactly according to the instructions of the Home Front Command. The IDF is doing and will do everything necessary to protect the citizens of the State of Israel."
- The Israeli Security Cabinet is convened at the government bunker near Jerusalem, Israeli officials said.
- There has been no confirmation yet of any casualties inside Israel.
- "We are actively supporting defensive preparations to defend Israel against this attack. A direct military attack from Iran against Israel will carry severe consequences for Iran," a senior White House official said prior to the attack.
- The U.S. first warned Israel of the impending attack around noon local time (5am ET), a senior Israeli official said.
- The use of ballistic missiles makes this a more difficult attack for Israel to defend against than the Iranian drone and missile attack last April — Iran's first-ever direct attack on Israeli territory — which was largely repelled by Israel and its partners, led by the U.S.
- Ballistic missiles can reach Israel within 12 minutes, while drones and cruise missiles leave more time to defend against.
- Iran has been promising retaliation against Israel for two months, since the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
- Iran had yet to respond to that attack, and also rebuffed urging from Hezbollah to launch an attack against Israel within the past two weeks, Axios reported.
- U.S. and Israeli officials had been concerned that the Israeli ground invasion and the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah — a longtime ally of Iran's supreme leader — would push Iran to change course and get more directly involved to save the militia it has armed and supported for decades.
- Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke Tuesday with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, shortly before the Iranian attack began.
- Ahead of the attack, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Adm. Daniel Hagari said: "Our air defense systems are fully prepared and air force jets are patrolling the sky. We are at peak readiness in offense and defense together with our partners from the U.S. and are following the developments in Iran together. An Iranian attack on Israel will have consequences."
- Secretary of State Tony Blinken said at the top of his meeting with the foreign minister of Morocco that the U.S. is closely following the situation in the Middle East and is committed to Israel's security.
- Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei offered no hint of how Iran would respond to Friday's attack that killed Nasrallah and a senior Iranian general beyond saying the "criminal" Israeli government would "regret its actions."
- Most of the drones and missiles were intercepted by Israeli, U.S., British, French, Jordanian and Saudi forces outside of Israeli airspace, and there were several injuries in Israel but no fatalities.
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