Iran fired a series of ballistic missiles at Israel, the Israeli military said. Explosions were heard in Jerusalem and sirens sounded throughout the country. The falling rockets can be seen on broadcasts from Tel Aviv. The airspace over Israel was closed.
Israeli military radio reported that Iran fired nearly 200 rockets towards Israel. Alarm sirens sounded in cities across the country and residents fled to shelters, Reuters reports. “The target of Iranian attacks is approximately 10 million Israeli civilians,” the Israeli military said in a statement.
Broadcasts from Tel Aviv show rockets falling on the city. The sounds of missile intercepts and explosions could be heard over Jerusalem, AFP journalists reported.
Reuters reports that some of the Iranian missiles fired by Iran towards Israel were intercepted in the airspace Jordan. Witnesses quoted by Reuters report that loud explosions were also heard in the west of the country.
Iran fired missiles at Israel
The Islamic Revolutionary Guards, one of two branches of Iran's armed forces, have warned that if Israel responds to the Iranian attack, it will be attacked again. The statement added that “the next strike will be more crushing and destructive.”
Israel Military Radio reported that traffic at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv was suspended. The airspace over the country was closed.
The US president's reaction
President of the USA Joe Biden he declared that United States stand ready to help Israel defend against Iranian attacks and protect American personnel stationed in the region.
“This morning, Vice President Kamala Harris and I convened a national security team meeting to discuss Iran's plans to launch an imminent missile attack on Israel. We discussed how the United States is prepared to help Israel defend against these attacks and protect American personnel in region,” Biden wrote on the X platform.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin reported that he spoke on Tuesday with Israeli Defense Minister Joav Galant, with whom he discussed the “serious consequences” for Iran if Tehran decided to launch a direct attack on Israel.