ISRAEL has vowed revenge on Iran after repelling an unprecedented 180-missile attack from the terror state last night.
The threat comes as the Middle East’s archenemies trade barbs and bring the region to the brink of all-out war.
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Tonight, Iran launched missiles directly at Israel
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Bright orange streaks of fire could be seen over Israeli cities Credit: Reuters
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Most of the missiles were intercepted by Israeli air defenses, according to Credit: AFP
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The Israelis took cover after air raid sirens warned them of the incoming barrageCredit: Reuters
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Israeli media shared an image of a rocket that hit a building but did not explode Credit: X/@GLZRadio
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Footage shows missiles over JerusalemCredit: Sky News
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A man holds children as people take cover during the flashCredit: Reuters
Tensions were high after Israel killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and launched a ground invasion of northern Lebanon on Monday night.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Iran for a “big mistake” and threatened to “pay for it”.
He warned: “There is also a deliberate and murderous hand behind this attack – it comes from Tehran.
We will stick to the rules we have set: whoever attacks us – we will attack him.
Alerts sounded across Israel late Tuesday afternoon after US satellites picked up ballistic missiles being moved to launch sites in western Iran.
Defense missiles intercepted most in the skies above Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa.
The missiles of Iran’s Hezbollah ally fly up to 14 times the speed of sound and would take just 12 minutes to reach the targets, reportedly three air bases and an intelligence headquarters.
The sky lit up within minutes as red tracers from the Iron Dome and David’s Sling defense systems fired rockets.
Air raid sirens rang out across the country as Israelis hid in their homes, under bridges and in bomb shelters.
It was not clear whether anyone slipped from Israel’s high-tech grid, but images suggested falling debris may have caused damage.
The IDF is operating on 20 towns in southern Lebanon as Israel leads the fight against Hezbollah on the ground
In April, Iran launched more than 320 missiles and drones at Israel, but almost all of them were intercepted.
In that surge, it took 12 minutes for ballistic missiles to reach Israel, two hours for cruise missiles, and about nine hours for drones.
Last night’s attack appears to have been more concentrated using faster ballistic weapons in the hope that the defenses would be overpowered.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has been confirmed to have personally ordered the launch.
The Iranian source added that it was revenge for Nasrallah’s assassination and Israeli aggression, adding that Iran is “fully prepared for any retaliation.”
It comes as…
Daniel Hagari of the Israel Defense Forces said: “We are on high defensive and offensive alert. We will protect the citizens of Israel. This missile will have consequences.
“We have plans and we will act at a time and place of our choosing.”
The IDF said the US-led coalition also helped bring down the bombs – with Iran claiming 90 percent of the missiles hit.
A Palestinian in the West Bank was the only known death after he was killed by shrapnel from a rocket, the local governor told AFP.
The IDF said it was unclear if there were any other injuries, with local media reporting that two were slightly injured.
Iran has vowed that Israel will face “devastating attacks” if it responds to the strike.
By 6:30pm UK time, the IDF said the Israelis could leave the shelters as there were no more threats they had detected.
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Palestinians pick up an exploded missileCredit: Reuters
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People gather around the fallen missile which has been moved to the center of the squareCredit: AFP
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Sirens sounded as the rockets arrived to hit the groundCredit: AFP
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Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepted rockets in AshkelonCredit: Reuters
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Iran said the attacks were revenge for the death of a Hezbollah leaderCredit: Getty
US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris watched the attack from the Situation Room and ordered the US military to help Israel shoot down the rockets.
The Pentagon said last night that the attack was twice the size of Iran’s attack in April, while a key adviser sharply criticized the attack as “defeated and ineffective”.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the attack, reiterated his support for Israel and once again called for a ceasefire.
It comes after Israel launched its Operation Northern Arrow ground offensive targeting Hezbollah strongholds following waves of devastating airstrikes.
Heavy fighting continued to rage in southern Lebanon on Tuesday as 25,000 Israeli troops stepped up a ground war to destroy Hezbollah’s missile sites.
Israeli commanders said the invasion would be “limited, localized and targeted” and would not involve an occupation.
But clashes intensified overnight, with Hezbollah launching rockets and artillery at Israeli soldiers massing on the border.
Terrorist troops responded to the attack by launching early morning rocket and artillery attacks on the border town of Metula inside Israel.
Hezbollah also said it targeted the Mossad headquarters in Glilot near Tel Aviv.
Hezbollah’s decade of destructive preparations
Foreign news reporter Juliana Cruz Lima
After the 2006 Lebanon War, in which Israel and Hezbollah fought to a bloody stalemate, the terrorist group began preparing for the next conflict.
They built a vast underground network throughout southern Lebanon.
The lessons of that war, in which Hezbollah’s small, mobile units were able to surprise and sometimes overwhelm Israeli forces, have since been incorporated into its military doctrine.
Tunnels are now a key part of this strategy, allowing Hezbollah to replicate the tactics of insurgents around the world: attack quickly, disappear, and use the size and strength of the enemy against them.
Some of these tunnels were found stretching through Israeli territory, designed to allow surprise attacks deep into northern Israel.
In 2018, the IDF launched Operation Northern Shield, a months-long mission to uncover and destroy Hezbollah’s cross-border tunnels.
The discovery of these tunnels – some reinforced with concrete and located tens of meters underground – revealed how advanced Hezbollah’s capabilities have become.
Last month, Hezbollah revealed its hidden network of terrorist tunnels from which missiles can be fired, posing a chilling threat to Israel.
A blood-curdling video released by Lebanese terrorists has revealed giant underground roads with enough room for trucks to transport their deadly weapons.
Posters of leaders and soldiers adorn the high stone walls as heavily armed men race through the “missile city” on motorcycles.
Trucks loaded with huge missiles make their way through the dark roads in a terrifying sight of the terrorists’ arsenal.
Drone footage then shows a seemingly endless terrorist maze, which also appears to be home to military technology and computers.
Inside the terrorist tunnels, Hezbollah fighters can move unseen, store weapons and set up ambushes, creating a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the IDF.
They can also move into a much larger network of bunkers, missile silos and command centers, deeply embedded in civilian areas.
These tunnels – which can stretch for kilometers – connect critical positions, allowing Hezbollah fighters to emerge, attack and then disappear back underground before Israel can respond.
Reports also suggest that Hezbollah has been expanding its network of tunnels in southern Lebanon in recent weeks.
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IDF told civilians to stay in sheltersCredit: AFP
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The IDF said the missiles came from IranCredit: Sky News
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education