Israel Pledges Retaliation Against Iran’s Missile Assault Amid Growing Concerns of Heightened Conflict

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that long-time adversary Iran would face repercussions for its missile barrage on Israel this past Tuesday. Meanwhile, Tehran threatened with promises of massive destruction should retaliation occur, intensifying worries about a broader conflict in the region.

As Washington rallied unwavering support for Israel, Iran’s military warned that any direct involvement by Israel’s allies would trigger a powerful response, targeting their bases and assets scattered throughout the area.

Oil prices soared by 5% amidst speculation of escalating tensions between the two foes. The U.N. Security Council, sensing urgency, has convened to deliberate the Middle Eastern situation on Wednesday.

“Iran has blundered gravely tonight, and it’ll pay the price,” Netanyahu asserted during a pivotal political-security discussion.

This strike by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps was depicted as a counteraction to Israel’s previous aggressions involving targeted assassinations of militant leaders, including operations directed at Hezbollah in Lebanon and ongoing skirmishes in Gaza.

The apprehension of a regional war, potentially involving Iran and the U.S., grew after Israel’s bolstered offensive against Lebanon over the last fortnight. In addition, Israel embarked on a ground operation there only on Monday, further exacerbating the conflict that has simmered for over a year in the Gaza Strip.

Iran reportedly launched over 180 ballistic missiles aimed at Israeli targets. The reverberations of explosions echoed through Jerusalem and along the Jordan River valley, igniting alarms throughout the nation and sending residents into fortified shelters. In a sign of the tension, journalists covering the events from state television were seen lying face-down amid live broadcasts.

Iranian forces, employing hypersonic Fattah missiles for the first time, declared a 90% success rate in hitting their intended targets in Israel.

Israeli Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari explained via a video on X that while Israeli air defenses were deployed successfully, with contributions from a defensive U.S.-led coalition intercepting the majority of missiles, Iran’s actions represented a critical heightening of hostilities.

The central region of Israel recorded minimal hits, with sporadic strikes elsewhere in the south. A school in Gadera, central Israel, sustained significant damage as a result of an Iranian missile strike.

No casualties were reported in Israel, though an individual tragically lost their life in the occupied West Bank, as confirmed by local officials.

In a collaborative defense effort, U.S. Navy vessels fired interceptors to neutralize incoming Iranian missiles targeting Israel, stated the Pentagon.

A resolute President Joe Biden reaffirmed unfaltering U.S. commitment to Israel, labeling Iran’s attack as insufficiently effective. Biden acknowledged ongoing discussions on a suitable response strategy and emphasized consultation with Netanyahu on the matter.

In alignment with Biden, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, vying for the presidency, echoed support, asserting America’s readiness to defend its interests against Iran’s challenging maneuvers.

Israel declared that Iran would face palpable repercussions for their strike.

“Action is inevitable. Iran will soon experience the sting of their misdeeds. The response will not be gentle,” proclaimed Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon to the press.

The White House aligned itself with this rhetoric, promising Iran significant consequences. Spokesman Jake Sullivan voiced a commitment to cooperate with Israel in ensuring this outcome but refrained from advising moderation as had been done previously in April following Iran’s drone and missile attack on Israel. The scope of Tuesday’s airstrikes reportedly doubled those of April.

On the Iranian side, General Staff insisted that any Israeli retaliation would result in severe damage to Israeli infrastructure, further threatening regional allies of Israel with targeted attacks if they opted to engage.

Iranian foreign ministry branded their operation as defensive, stating it was solely targeting Israeli military and security establishments. A preceding report by Iran’s state media identified three Israeli military bases as targets, pushing for involvement from the U.N. Security Council.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres labeled the cycle of escalating violence as catastrophic, emphasizing the necessity for an immediate ceasefire.

Josep Borrell, EU’s chief of foreign policy, also called for a swift halt to hostilities, cautioning against a possible uncontrollable spiral of conflict.

ESCALATION IN LEBANON

Iran’s pledge of retribution followed Israeli operations that claimed the highest echelons of its ally Hezbollah in Lebanon, including leader Hassan Nasrallah—a pivotal figure within Iran’s tactical network.

Hamas, the Iran-backed militant group from Gaza, praised these Iranian missile strikes as a rightful vengeance for Israel’s assassination of a trio of militant figures, including Nasrallah, lauded some within the Palestinian enclaves, who witnessed the assault.

The residents of Gaza, entrenched in nearly a full year of warfare, echoed their support amid celebrations as missiles streaked across the skies towards Israel, with some debris falling inside the region but causing no fatalities.

In a parallel theater, Beirut witnessed the death of the Imam Hussein division’s commander, linked to Hezbollah in Syria, following Israeli airstrikes.

Lebanon’s health ministry reported 55 deaths and 156 injuries attributed to Israel’s activities on Tuesday. Israel announced nocturnal ground incursions into Lebanon, albeit described the moves as limited.

According to recent Lebanese states, close to 1,900 fatalities and upwards of 9,000 injuries have emerged from almost a year of confrontations across the border, with the majority unfurling within these last two weeks.

A comprehensive ground invasion against Hezbollah, reputed as Iran’s potent proxy, presents unparalleled advancements in the region’s volatile dynamics, unseen in the past 18 years.

Collaboration by James Mackenzie and Steven Scheer in Jerusalem; Maya Gebeily and Timour Azhari in Beirut; Parisa Hafezi in Istanbul; Phil Stewart, Jeff Mason, and Idrees Ali in Washington; Michelle Nichols in New York; Adam Makary, Jaidaa Taha, and Enas Alashray in Cairo; and Tala Ramadan, Jana Choukeir, Elwely Elwelly, and Clauda Tanios in Dubai. Crafted by Peter Graff and Cynthia Osterman and polished by Gareth Jones and Rosalba O’Brien.

Edited by: Ali Musa

Axadle international–Monitoring