Middle East Crisis Highlights: Iran Fires Missiles On Israel As Region Braces For Wider War

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) released a statement shortly after launching missiles targeting key military and intelligence bases in the occupied territories. The attack was in response to the "martyrdom" of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyah, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and IRGC commander Abbas Nilforoushan. 

The IRGC emphasised that the action was a legitimate self-defence measure according to the United Nations Charter, citing escalating crimes against the people of Lebanon and Gaza, backed by the United States. The statement warned that further attacks would follow if the "Zionist regime" retaliated against Iran’s operations.

Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari reported that the country’s air defenses intercepted many Iranian missiles, resulting in only a “few” hits in central and southern Israel. Israel's emergency service stated that two people were injured by falling shrapnel in the Tel Aviv area, with several other minor injuries reported elsewhere.

Iranian state television reported that some ballistic missiles fired by the IRGC targeted Israeli tanks in the Netzarim Corridor. The IRGC claimed the operation was ''successful'' and accused the Israeli military of heavy censorship.

IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari announced that Israel will respond to Iran's missile attack. “We are on heightened alert, both defensively and offensively and will protect the citizens of Israel,” he said. “This missile fire will have consequences, and we will act at a time and place that we choose.”

The Israeli military announced that, following a situational assessment, it is now permitted to leave protected spaces in all areas across the country. ''It was decided that it is now permitted to exit shelters,'' the military said, signalling a temporary reduction in threat levels.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei remains in a secure location following missile launches at Israel, a senior Iranian official told Reuters. ''He was moved after Israel assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah last week,'' the official stated.

US President Joe Biden has ordered the US military to assist Israel in intercepting Iranian missiles, the White House National Security Council announced. " President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are monitoring the situation from the White House and receiving regular updates," NSC spokesperson Sean Savett said in a post on X.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) have claimed responsibility for the missile attack on Israel, stating it is a response to the recent deaths of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. 

''In response to the martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh, Hassan Nasrallah, and our commander Nilforoshan, we targeted the heart of the occupied territories,'' the IRGC said in a statement, reported Iran’s Fars news agency.

Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated on social media, ''Like Gaza, Hezbollah, and the state of Lebanon, Iran will regret the moment,'' following missile attacks on Israel.

Iranian state media reports that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the elite branch of the Iranian military, will soon release a statement. Details regarding the content of the statement have not been disclosed at this time.

The Israeli army reported that missiles were launched into Israel from Iran. ''The air defence system is fully operational, detecting and intercepting threats wherever needed, even now,'' said army spokesperson Daniel Hagari. He added that due to various threats, alerts may be triggered across extensive areas.

The Israeli military reports that missiles have been launched from Iran, with sirens sounding across the country. Flares and missiles are visible in the Tel Aviv sky. As of now, there is no confirmation from Iran regarding the attack or the origin of the missiles.

Israeli police reported a suspected "terror" shooting in Tel Aviv near the Jaffa border on Tuesday, resulting in multiple casualties. Local media stated that at least four individuals were seriously injured in the attack. Authorities are investigating the incident for further details.

Yemen’s Houthi forces targeted two ships in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea, according to military spokesperson Yahya Saree. The Panama-flagged oil tanker Cordelia Moon was struck off the coast of Hodeida, with a drone boat damaging one of its ballast tanks. The ship was en route to the Suez Canal with armed private security, Ambrey, a security firm, reported. Another missile attack targeted a different vessel heading north.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged for de-escalation in Lebanon, warning that “an all-out war must be avoided at all costs.” His spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, stated that the UN chief highlighted the need for an immediate ceasefire amid rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, stressing that Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity "must be respected."

Hamas's Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for attacks on Israeli forces in Gaza. They targeted a Merkava tank and two D9 bulldozers with rockets in southern Gaza's al-Fukhari area. Separately, they launched Rajum rockets and heavy mortar shells at Israeli forces in central Gaza's Netzarim Corridor, a strategic area established to divide northern and southern Gaza during the Israeli offensive on the Palestinian territory.

The Iranian embassy in Lebanon issued a statement addressing the current situation in the country, asserting that the Lebanese people can distinguish between true allies and those who support their enemies. “The Lebanese people are aware and can fully distinguish between their friends who stood by them in the darkest of circumstances, and those who provide cover for their enemy to besiege and target them,” it said.

The statement referenced past allegations during the July 2006 war, asserting that claims of Iran withdrawing support for resistance were proven false. The embassy stated that Iran's influential role would become increasingly evident as victories against ''Zionist terrorism'' emerge. 

The statement pointed to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's frequent mentions of Iran, highlighting its crucial role in supporting resistance. The statement concluded by affirming Iran’s steadfast commitment, undeterred by external pressures.

An Israeli army spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, stated that any attack from Iran would have ''serious repercussions''. His remarks followed a warning from a senior White House official that Iran is ready to launch a ballistic missile strike against Israel. Daniel Hagari stated that Israel and its allies are on high alert, with Israeli air defence systems fully prepared; however, he noted that no specific threat has been identified at this time.

The US has evidence that Iran is poised to launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel, a senior White House official disclosed to AFP on Tuesday. The official, who spoke anonymously, stated that the US is enhancing defensive measures to protect Israel from this potential strike. Additionally, the official warned that any missile attack by Iran would result in severe repercussions for the country.

China has condemned what it describes as ''infringements on Lebanon’s sovereignty'' following Israel's announcement of a ground offensive against Lebanon. In a statement, the Chinese foreign ministry expressed its opposition to actions that threaten Lebanon’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. The ministry also voiced concerns about activities that could exacerbate conflicts and escalate the regional situation further, emphasising the need for restraint and diplomatic solutions.

The Israeli army stated that about 30 rockets were launched from Lebanon into northern Israel, targeting the Upper Galilee and Western Galilee regions. The rockets caused fires in open areas, prompting firefighters to respond while there were no reported casualties. The Israeli army statement also stated that it conducted air raids on multiple locations in Lebanon, alleging that Hezbollah stored weapons there. Hezbollah, however, has denied these accusations, asserting that it does not store weapons in civilian buildings.

Russia urged Israel to withdraw its troops from Lebanon, warning that continued military actions could escalate violence in the Middle East. The Russian foreign ministry condemned Israel's attacks and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a genuine pursuit of peaceful resolutions to the ongoing conflict. 

"Russia strongly condemns the attack on Lebanon and calls on the Israeli authorities to immediately cease hostilities, withdraw their troops from Lebanese territory and engage in a real search for peaceful ways to resolve the Middle East conflict," Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Israel has targeted at least three anti-aircraft radar stations in southern Syria, including one located at a military airfield, news agency Reuters reported citing two Syrian military sources.

The UN has warned against a "large-scale ground invasion" of Lebanon amid escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah. Liz Throssell, spokesperson for the UN rights office, expressed concern over the potential for increased civilian suffering. She highlighted that Israeli strikes have already resulted in over 1,000 deaths in Lebanon within two weeks. 

''With armed violence between Israel and Hezbollah boiling over, the consequences for civilians have already been terrible. We fear a large-scale ground invasion by Israel into Lebanon would only result in greater suffering,'' the UN spokesperson said in Geneva, urging restraint to prevent further harm to civilians.

Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said he briefed US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Israel’s ground offensive in southern Lebanon. Yoav Gallant highlighted the importance of dismantling Hezbollah’s attack infrastructure along the northern border ''to protect Israeli citizens''. 

Yoav Gallant informed US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin about targeted raids against Hezbollah and discussed broader regional challenges from Iran and its proxies in Iraq, Yemen and Syria. Gallant also emphasised the significance of US-Israel defence cooperation and the positioning of US forces in the region.

Hezbollah has denied that Israeli troops have entered Lebanon but says its fighters are ready for a “direct confrontation” if they cross the border. In its first statement since Israel announced the start of ground operations, Hezbollah spokesman Mohammed Afifi said reports that Israeli forces had entered Lebanon were “false claims”.

He said Hezbollah fighters are ready “to have direct confrontation with enemy forces that dare to or try to enter Lebanon to inflict casualties among them”. He also said Hezbollah's firing of medium-range missiles toward central Israel earlier on Tuesday “is only the beginning”.

Spain on Tuesday urged Israel to cease conducting ground raids in southern Lebanon to avoid an escalation of the conflict enveloping the region. 

Amid Israel’s ground offensive In Lebanon, Hezbollah claimed that it fired missiles at the headquarters of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency and at a military intelligence unit in the outskirts of Tel Aviv on Tuesday, news agency Reuters reported. 

Sirens blared across central Israel as the Israeli military reported the launch of projectiles from Lebanon, prompting air raid alerts in major cities, including Tel Aviv. Eyewitnesses described hearing an explosion, heightening concerns over escalating tensions in the region, news agency Reuters reported. 

As Israel Defence Forces began a ground invasion in Lebanon, to destroy Hezbollah militants, Lebanon Prime Minister Najib Mikati says that the country is facing the most dangerous stage in the country’s history. 

Sirens have been sounded through the hills near Safed, Israel, as the nation braced for potential strikes from Lebanon. Earlier today, multiple rockets targeted northern towns, including Avivim and Metula, with five launches reported. While some rockets were intercepted by Israeli defence forces, others fell harmlessly in open areas, prompting heightened vigilance.

As Israel launched a ground offensive on Lebanon on Tuesday, the Israeli military said that intense fighting with Hezbollah was taking place in southern Lebanon, spokesperson Avichay Adraee posted on X, formerly Twitter. The military also issued a warning to citizens not to move in their vehicles from the northern area to the southern area of the Litani River.

Israel-Hezbollah War: Lebanon’s armed group Hezbollah has claimed that it had targeted the Israeli army in Metula with artillery fire, news agency Reuters Reported. 

Amid Israel’s ground offensive against Lebanon, concerns are being raised over the safety of Indians residing in the country. According to the official data, over 4,000 Indians are residing in Lebanon and the Centre has urged all of them to leave at the earliest.

Following the death of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, the group vowed to continue fighting Israel in support of Palestinians.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin engaged in a conversation with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, focusing on enhancing security measures in the region. According to the Pentagon, the discussion focused on the importance of dismantling attack infrastructure along the border to prevent potential threats from Lebanese Hezbollah, particularly in the wake of the October 7-style attacks that have raised concerns for Israel's northern communities.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has reiterated its strong support for Lebanon's unity, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity amid Israel’s ground offensive. 

The US National Security Council has expressed support for Israel's recent "limited operations" aimed at destroying Hezbollah infrastructure near its northern border, asserting that such actions fall within Israel's right to self-defence. However, the NSC cautioned against escalating these operations, emphasizing that a diplomatic resolution remains essential for achieving lasting stability in the region. 

The recent ground invasion of Lebanon by Israel marks an escalation in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, stemming from the October 7 attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas last year. This military operation is a response not only to the immediate threat posed by Hamas but also to the broader implications of Iranian influence in the region. 

The Israeli military on Tuesday began "limited" raids against Hezbollah targets in the border areas. The IDF stated that it had begun "limited, localised, and targeted ground raids based on precise intelligence" against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon villages close to the border that posed "an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel".