Israel Pledges Retaliation After Iranian Missile Strike
Israel issued a stern warning on Wednesday, pledging to retaliate after Iran launched a missile barrage targeting Israeli territory. Iran, in turn, cautioned that it would strike “all infrastructure” in Israel if it faced any military response.
The confrontation escalated after Iran fired missiles late Tuesday, with Israeli air defences intercepting most of them. In response, Israel vowed to make Iran “pay” and pledged powerful military action across the Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Iran had made a “big mistake” and would face consequences.
U.S. President Joe Biden expressed strong support for Israel, stating that the U.S. was fully aligned with its ally and was actively discussing potential responses. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin condemned the missile attack, calling it an “outrageous act of aggression” by Iran.
Iran claimed responsibility for firing 200 missiles, including hypersonic weapons, targeting military bases around Tel Aviv. The Revolutionary Guards said the strike was in retaliation for Israel’s recent killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
While damage from the attack was minimal, with only two people reported injured by shrapnel, tensions soared in the region. Israel responded by bombing Hezbollah targets in southern Beirut, intensifying the ongoing conflict in Lebanon. The Israeli air force signaled further strikes in the region, while Iran threatened to escalate its attacks if provoked further.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate ceasefire, warning that the conflict could spiral out of control. Amid escalating violence, both Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah continued trading fire, deepening fears of a broader regional conflict.
