Sirens rang out across Israel on Tuesday night as Iran launched hundreds of missiles in retaliation for escalating violence in the region. The operation, dubbed True Promise II, saw strikes across the occupied territories, including Tel Aviv and al-Quds, prompting widespread panic among settlers, who rushed to shelters. Explosions were heard, and flares lit up the skies of Tel Aviv.
In response to the missile strikes, the Israel Airports Authority suspended all flights in and out of Israeli airports. Israeli media, including Haaretz, reported direct hits in areas like Negev and Sharon.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) released a statement shortly after the attack, declaring it a retaliatory strike following the assassination of key resistance figures, including Hamas chief Ismail Haniyah, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and IRGC commander Abbas Nilforoushan. The IRGC emphasized that the strikes targeted military and intelligence bases in Israel and were carried out as an act of legitimate self-defense, as allowed under the United Nations Charter.
The IRGC also issued a stern warning to Israel, threatening more severe attacks should there be retaliation. According to the IRGC, the missile strikes hit three military bases in Tel Aviv, along with air and radar installations, with 90% of the missiles reaching their targets despite Israel’s advanced defense systems.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations defended the strikes as a "legal, rational, and legitimate" response to Israel’s ongoing crimes, facilitated by U.S. backing. The statement also warned that a more "crushing" response would follow if Israel continued its aggression.
While Iran's response was swift and forceful, the silence from the U.S. government has been deafening. Washington, which continues to provide military support to Israel, has made no significant moves to de-escalate the situation or address the growing humanitarian crisis. The U.S. silence amid the violence underscores its complicity in the region’s instability, as weapons and support to Israel fuel further conflict.
In Beirut, where Hezbollah chief Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike last week, celebratory gunfire erupted as news of Iran’s retaliatory strikes spread.
