Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stark warning to Iran on Tuesday night (October 1), vowing retaliation after Tehran launched a massive missile attack targeting Israel. “Iran made a big mistake tonight – and it will pay for it,” Netanyahu declared at the start of a security meeting in Tel Aviv. “The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our determination to retaliate against our enemies.”
The missile assault from Iran was said to be a direct response to Israel’s recent strikes on Tehran’s Hezbollah allies in Lebanon. Israeli officials confirmed that more than 180 missiles were fired from Iran, prompting Israel’s air defenses to respond. In coordination with the United States, Israeli forces managed to intercept many of the incoming missiles, although some successfully hit their targets, causing damage to buildings and igniting fires.
The U.S. Navy also played a critical role in defending Israel, with warships firing about a dozen interceptors to neutralize missiles aimed at Israeli territory. The Pentagon confirmed its cooperation, reinforcing the strong alliance between the two nations in the face of Iran’s aggression.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for the missile barrage, describing it as retaliation for Israel’s recent targeted killings of key militant leaders, including Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian Revolutionary Guard General Abbas Nilforushan. Both were killed in an Israeli airstrike last week in Beirut. Additionally, Tehran cited the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in July, allegedly carried out by Israel, as another factor in its attack.
In a statement, the IRGC boasted of its success, claiming that 90% of the missiles fired had hit their targets in Israel. The attack also marked the first operational use of Iran’s hypersonic Fattah missiles, further escalating the situation.
Although no injuries were reported in Israel, a man in the occupied West Bank lost his life, according to local authorities. Sirens blared across Israel as residents were ordered to take cover in protected areas while the Israeli Air Force and U.S. forces worked to intercept the projectiles.
U.S. and British officials later confirmed that approximately 200 missiles had been launched by Iran, signaling a dangerous escalation in tensions across the region. Iran warned that this assault represented only a “first wave,” leaving the international community bracing for potential further attacks.
Netanyahu’s response to the attack was swift and resolute, underlining Israel’s readiness to respond with force. The situation remains highly volatile, with both sides preparing for the possibility of further conflict.
