2024 Iranian strikes against Israel
In what it claimed was a response to the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and others, Iran fired dozens of missiles at Israel on Tuesday, potentially bringing the region closer to a larger conflict.
As sirens sounded across the nation, CNN teams on the ground in a number of locations in Israel observed dozens of missiles piercing the sky. The Israeli military claims that the attack resulted in the deaths of at least one person and the injuries of a number of others.
According to CNN's Jake Tapper, the IDF's international spokesman Nadav Shoshani, one Palestinian was killed in Jericho as a result of the attacks.
Israel's allies are worried that the Middle East conflict could get worse because it has promised to respond to the attack.
Hours after the assault, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the following statement: Iran will pay for the big mistake it made tonight. Iran's regime does not comprehend our determination to defend ourselves or to strike back against our enemies.
Iran reportedly targeted Israel with an estimated 180 "projectiles," according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Although some of the missiles landed on the ground in Israel and the occupied West Bank, it claimed to have intercepted many of them.
Later on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Iran's attack was "effectively defeated."
Even though the attack was over fairly quickly, it is evident that it has increased the stakes in a situation that is already extremely tense. The conflict between Israel and Iran's proxies, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, has long sparked concerns that it could escalate into a larger regional conflict. Israel's response will now attract all attention.
The United States of America, according to Joe Biden, is "fully supportive" of Israel. However, he stated that his administration was still discussing with Israel the appropriate response.
He stated, "We're going to get all the data straight, we're in constant contact with the Israeli government and our counterparts, and that remains to be seen." He was referring to the Israeli government.
Israel is fighting on two fronts right now. Since Hamas' fatal attack on southern Israel on October 7 it has been at war with Hamas in Gaza. A significant portion of Gaza has been demolished, killing tens of thousands of Palestinians.
In addition, despite the fact that Israel and Hezbollah have engaged in cross-border firefights for the majority of the past year, Iran launched the barrage on Tuesday, just hours after Israel announced that it had launched a ground operation in Lebanon that was “limited and localized.” Iran would have viewed the deployment of Israeli troops into Lebanon as a significant escalation.
According to Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that the assassination of Nasrallah and others prompted it to target Israel.
The Iranian mission to the United Nations stated that Tehran responded to "the terrorist acts of the Zionist regime" after the missile barrage was launched.
On X, the mission stated that Israel would face "a subsequent and crushing response" if it "dares to respond or commit further acts of malevolence."
The White House said in a mid-morning statement that it had "indications that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel" and that the United States was "actively supporting defensive preparations to defend Israel against this attack." This statement came just hours before Tehran launched the attack.
A person briefed on the situation stated prior to the attack that Israel determined that Iran was likely to attack three Israeli air bases and an intelligence base just north of Tel Aviv. Mehr News, a semi-official Iranian media outlet, reports that the IRGC claimed it had targeted three Israeli military bases near Tel Aviv.
According to the person, the Israeli military has implemented emergency plans to ensure the safety of personnel at those bases. The intelligence base in Glilot was evacuated on Tuesday afternoon.
Iranian missiles struck the Nevatim air base in the southern part of Israel, as shown in two videos from the attack that CNN geolocated. The IDF has been contacted by CNN for comment on the videos, but the company has yet to respond.
In a similar attack that took place on April 13, Iran previously targeted the same base.
Israel weighing its response Diplomats from the United States and Arab nations have been concerned about Israel's response's scope. Israel may use a forthcoming Iranian strike to respond by striking inside Iran, possibly against its nuclear facilities, which is a major concern for them.
During his speech to the United Nations last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, "There is no place in Iran that the long arm of Israel cannot reach, and that is true of the entire Middle East."
Similar to how the United States offered its assistance in April when Iran launched a wave of drones and missiles toward Israel, the vast majority of which were successfully intercepted, a US official stated, the United States was previously prepared to assist Israel in intercepting anything Iran directed its way.
Biden praised the US for its role in thwarting Iran's missiles after the attack, describing it as "defeated and ineffective."
This is evidence of Israeli and US military capability. Additionally, it demonstrates how meticulously the United States and Israel planned to anticipate and defend against the brazen attack that we anticipated,” he stated.
Additionally, Kamala Harris, vice president, expressed her support for Vice President Biden's decision to direct the US military to assist Israel in destroying Iranian missiles.
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris claimed that she and Vice President Joe Biden were present in the Situation Room earlier on Tuesday, where they received updates from their national security team. She added that they "ensured that the protection of US personnel in the region is paramount."
In the meantime, former president and Republican candidate Donald Trump argued that Iran launched the attack because "they don't respect our country anymore" and that the leadership of Biden and Harris had diminished the US's standing on the international stage.
Iran's missile attacks on Israel have been condemned by high-ranking officials from France, Britain, Germany, and the European Union, who have all expressed concern about the potential negative effects on the entire region.
Keir Starmer, the prime minister of the United Kingdom, blasted the Iranian regime's "attempt to harm innocent Israelis" and "escalate this dangerous situation" in the Middle East.
Germany has "urgently warned Iran against this dangerous escalation," according to Annalena Baerbock, the foreign minister of Germany.
She said the assault by Iran was "driving the area further into the chasm."
Josep Borrell, the top diplomat for the EU, issued a warning that a "dangerous cycle of attacks and retaliation" is in progress and could "spirale out of control."
There have been new developments added to this story.
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