Iran fires ballistic missiles at Israel

• Israeli military says it is “fully prepared to defend and retaliate”
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemns the “broadening of the Middle East conflict with escalation after escalation” 

Iran says it has fired dozens of ballistic missiles at important military and security targets in Israel, in response to the mass killing of the people of Gaza and Lebanon, as well as of Hamas, Hezbollah and IRGC leaders and commanders.The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says Israel will face “crushing” attacks if it responds.  

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemns the “broadening of the Middle East conflict with escalation after escalation” and calls again for a ceasefire.  

“This must stop,” he said in a post on X.  

Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari just held a televised address.  

In it, he said the Israeli military is “fully prepared to defend and retaliate” to the Iranian attack, stressing that it would be in a “timely manner”.  

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz, citing Israeli rescue services, reports that two people have been lightly wounded in Tel Aviv after the Iranian missile attack.  

It said others were wounded while making their way to shelter.  

Just a reminder that there was a shooting attack in the Jaffa district of Tel Aviv just before missiles from Iran targeted Israel.  

In the middle of air raid sirens from Iranian missile attacks, Israeli police is saying that at least four people have been killed. 

Israeli media is putting that figure at eight.  

Police also said that two attackers have been “neutralised”. The White House issued the statement shortly after Iran fired the missiles.  

The US, which has increased its military presence in the region, played an instrumental role in shooting down Iranian missiles during Tehran’s last strike on Israel on April 13.  

The White House said Biden and Kamala Harris were monitoring from the Situation Room.The Washington Post is reporting, citing three anonymous Pentagon officials, that American troops in the Middle East were not targeted during the Iranian missile attack in Israel.  

Iraqi group linked to Iran have previously fired rockets at military bases housing US soldiers in Iraq and Syria.The Israeli army has released a statement saying that a short while ago missiles were launched from Iran to Israel and is asking people to stay vigilant, telling them to shelter in place. But what has happened is still not over.  

There have been sirens that have been ringing in Jordan and it’s important to note that this information that the Israelis had through the day, but were not anticipating it to happen in a manner that was so soon.  

In fact, Israel’s security cabinet is convening right now in a bunker in West Jerusalem.Iran’s Fars news agency is reporting that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the missile attack under way on Israel is in response to the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah last week as well as that of the Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh earlier this year.  

Iran suggests that its missile attack against Israel has concluded and warns the Israeli government against carrying out its own retaliation.  

“Iran’s legal, rational, and legitimate response to the terrorist acts of the Zionist regime- which involved targeting Iranian nationals and interests and infringing upon the national sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran – has been duly carried out,” the Iranian mission to the UN said on X.Jordan’s state news agency reports that it has suspended air traffic temporarily.  

Israeli Army Radio reports meanwhile that takeoffs and landings have been halted at Ben Gurion International Airport.

(Al Jazeera)