Israel-Iran War: White House on Tuesday said that US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are continuously monitoring the situation in Israel after Iran launched over 200 ballistic missiles, targeting military bases in Tel Aviv on Tuesday. The attack comes after Israel eliminated Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on September 27 in Lebanon.
White House spokesperson Jake Sullivan said that today’s attack is definitely a significant escalation by Iran and only after the consultations of the top authorities, the United States will decide its next action against Iran.
Iran’s supreme leader
In his first statement, Iran’s supreme leader Al Khamenei said, “God’s Help, Victory Is Ours.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called the strike on Israel a legitimate response to “aggressive actions” against Iranian interests and said the country is not looking for war.
Masoud Pezeshkian further said that Iran gave “decisive response” to Israel as an act of self-defense. “Iran not after war, but will decisively deal with all threats.”
Iran’s strongest response to Israel
Iran launched dozens of missiles into Israel earlier today, sharply escalating a conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militias Hezbollah and Hamas that began nearly a year ago and threatening to push the Middle East closer toward a regionwide war.
The orange glow of missiles streaked across Israel’s night sky as air raid sirens sounded across the country and millions of residents scrambled into bomb shelters. The attack raised the strong likelihood of an Israeli reprisal.
Before Iran’s attack, Israel had landed a series of devastating blows in recent weeks against Hezbollah’s leadership in Lebanon. It then ratcheted up the pressure on the militant group — which has been firing rockets into Israel since the war in Gaza began — by launching what it said is a limited ground incursion in southern Lebanon.
Israel has said it will continue to strike Hezbollah until it is safe for citizens displaced from homes near the Lebanon border to return. Hezbollah has vowed to keep firing rockets into Israel until there is a cease-fire in Gaza.
Israel vowed retaliation for Iran’s missile barrage, which it said had caused only a few injuries.
Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the country’s air defenses intercepted many of the incoming missiles, though some landed in central and southern Israel.
“This strike will have consequences,” he said. He said the attack had caused only “very few” injuries, but did not elaborate.
Israel and Iran have fought a shadow war for years, but rarely have they come into direct conflict.
Israel considers Iran to be its greatest foe — citing Iran’s repeated calls for Israel’s destruction, its support for Arab militant groups and its nuclear program. Iran denies Israeli accusations that it is developing a nuclear weapon.
Moments before Iran launched its missiles, a shooting attack in Tel Aviv left six people dead, police said, adding that the two suspects who had opened fire on a boulevard in the Jaffa neighborhood had also been killed.
The United States had warned there would be severe consequences for Iran in the event of an attack on Israel. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris monitored the attack on Israel from the White House Situation Room.
With inputs from PTI
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