image copyrightAFP
photo captionMost of the Iranian missiles were shot down by Israeli authorities on October 1, 2024
Updated October 2, 2024
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran, which launched a massive missile attack on Israel on Tuesday evening, “made a big mistake and will pay for it.” Iran called the attack a response to “aggressive actions,” including the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and targeted military targets.
What Netanyahu said
“Iran made a big mistake tonight – and it will pay for it. The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and take revenge on our enemies,” Netanyahu said in his address. “We will adhere to the rule we have established: whoever attacks us, we will attack him.”
The Israeli military said it intercepted most of the 180 rockets fired into the country. An Iranian attack in the West Bank killed one Palestinian, damaged a school building in central Israel, and damaged a restaurant in Tel Aviv.
Israel Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari said that Israeli and American air defense systems worked effectively.
«[Иран] is pushing the Middle East towards escalation. Today’s events will have consequences,” Hagari warned. “We have plans and we will act in the place and time we decide,” he added.
Hours after the Iranian attack, the Israeli military carried out new strikes on Hezbollah targets on the southern outskirts of Beirut. Before this, the Israel Defense Forces warned local residents to evacuate.
Play video, “Rockets in the skies over Israel. Video”, Duration 0.4000:40 Video caption, Rockets in the skies over Israel. Video
What Iranian authorities say
Iranian authorities claim that they only attacked military targets in Israel and do not want a full-scale war, but are ready to defend the right to self-defense.
Iran’s state news agency said three Israeli military bases were targeted. Israel does not comment on this.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the strikes on Israel were in response to the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, as well as the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in a strike on Beirut last Saturday.
The IRGC claims that 90% of the missiles successfully hit their targets and warns that Israel “will face even more devastating attacks” if it retaliates.
image copyrightAFP
photo captionPeople carrying portraits of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah took to the streets in central Tehran on Tuesday evening
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on social media X that the purpose of the strike was to show Israel that Iran is ready to defend its interests and its citizens.
According to him, on Tuesday Iran showed only a fraction of its capabilities. Pezeshkian warned Israeli authorities against further escalation.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi wrote in X at night that the Iranian operation was completed.
“Our actions are complete unless the Israeli regime decides to provoke further retaliation. In this case, our response will be stronger and more powerful,” the minister said on social media X early Wednesday morning.
In Iran, all flights were canceled for a day to ensure flight safety.
Subscribe to our social networks and newsletters
What they say in the USA
US President Joe Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan called Iran’s strikes a “significant escalation” and said Tehran had launched about 200 ballistic missiles in total.
Sullivan declined to comment on the possibility of Israeli or US retaliation. He confirmed that American destroyers helped Israel shoot down Iranian missiles.
As Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said at a briefing, two US Navy destroyers, which are located in the Mediterranean Sea, participated in repelling the attack. The US military said Tuesday’s strikes were “twice the size” of the first Iranian attack on Israel in April this year.
US President Joe Biden said Washington fully supports Israel. According to Biden, at his direct direction, the US military “actively supported Israel’s defense” during the strike. He also added that the Iranian attack was repulsed and was ineffective.
Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris said she watched the attack in real time from the White House with Biden. She said she fully supported Biden’s decision to order American ships to shoot down missiles aimed at Israel.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin wrote on social media X on Wednesday night that Washington remains committed to reaching a diplomatic settlement, but is ready to defend Israel from Iranian aggression if necessary.
