Why did Iran launch 180 missiles at Israel? How did the attack unfold?

Iran has attacked Israel once again – the second time this year. On Tuesday (1 October), Iran launched a barrage of missiles at the Jewish nation, its top enemy.

Sirens went off across the country as missiles were seen over Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa. The Israeli military said that around 180 missiles were fired from the Islamic Republic of which most were intercepted.

The attack comes as tensions escalate in West Asia. Israel troops have launched a “limited” ground operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon in the wee hours of Tuesday. This is days after the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and the pager and walkie-talkie attacks . The Israeli military has also struck Houthis in Yemen. Meanwhile, the Israel-Hamas war continues.

We look at how Iran’s attack unfolded and what we can expect next.

What do we know about Iran’s attack on Israel?

On Tuesday, Iran launched hundreds of missiles at Israel shortly after 7.30 pm (local time). Sirens blared across the Jewish nation, and Israelis were ordered to stay in protected areas.

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The attack saw 110 ballistic missiles and 30 cruise missiles fired towards Israel, making it the second time Iran has struck the Jewish nation this year. In April, the Islamic Republic fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel after a strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria, which killed at least 13 people.

Israel’s military identified 180 missiles launched from Iran but US and British officials put that number at 200.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed its forces used hypersonic missiles for the first time. It said that 90 per cent of projectiles hit targets, including three military bases in the attack.

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What damage did Iran’s missiles cause?

An Israeli security official said that in cooperation with the United States, the Israeli Air Force intercepted many of the missiles, though there were some direct hits damaging buildings and igniting some fires.

A significant number of missiles fell either at, or near, the headquarters of Mossad in Tel Aviv, Nevatim Air Base and Tel Nof Air Base, reports CNN. An Iranian missile hit close to a school in central Israel and a restaurant in Tel Aviv. It is yet to be ascertained if the missile strikes caused any serious damage.

A Palestinian man was killed in the occupied West Bank during the barrage. While two people were slightly injured by shrapnel, Israeli medics said that they had not received reports of any serious wounds.

RAW FOOTAGE: Watch as Iranian missiles rain over the Old City in Jerusalem, a holy site for Muslims, Christians and Jews.

This is the target of the Iranian regime: everyone. pic.twitter.com/rIqUZWN3zy

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 1, 2024

Why did Iran attack Israel?

Iran said the missiles were in response to the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Revolutionary Guard’s General Abbas Nilforushan, both killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut last week. It also mentioned Ismail Haniyeh, a top leader in Hamas who was assassinated in Tehran in a suspected Israeli attack in July. Tehran warned this attack represented only a “first wave,” without elaborating.

In a statement issued after the strikes, IRCG said that the attack was in line with the country’s right to legitimate self-defence as per the United Nations Charter, and in response to the [Israeli] regime’s escalating crimes—backed by the United States—against the people of Lebanon and Gaza. It warned that if the “Zionist regime” reacts to Iran’s operations, it will face “crushing attacks”.

Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian wrote in a post on X, “Based on legitimate rights and with the aim of peace and security for Iran and the region, a decisive response was given to the aggression of the Zionist regime. This action was in defence of the interests and the citizens of Iran. Let Netanyahu know that Iran is not a belligerent, but it stands firmly against any threat. This is only a corner of our power. Do not enter into a conflict with Iran.”

A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had personally given the order to attack.

Tuesday’s attacks are an escalation of an ongoing shadow war between the two countries . Iran does not recognise Israel’s right to exist and has for years supported militant organisations like Hezbollah and Hamas to fight the Jewish nation as part of its Axis of Resistance .

Israel believes Iran is one of its biggest enemies and has run covert operations in Tehran to thwart any threat from it.

How did Israel stop hundreds of missiles?

Israel has a sophisticated defence system that blocks missiles and rockets. The country has used the Iron Dome regularly amid rising hostilities in the region after the 7 October Hamas attacks. It is used to intercept rockets fired by Hamas and Hezbollah. Iron Dome is the bottom layer of Israel’s missile defence system, according to the country’s Missile Defense Organization (IMDO).

To target ballistic missiles which travel at higher altitudes, Israel deploys different systems. David Sling’s protects against short and medium-range threats. Next are Israel’s Arrow 2 and Arrow 3, systems jointly developed with the United States.

The Arrow 2 uses fragmentation warheads to destroy incoming ballistic missiles in their terminal phase in the upper atmosphere, according to the Missile Threat project at the Center for International and Strategic Studies (CSIS), reports CNN. The Arrow 3 used hit-and-kill technology to intercept incoming ballistic missiles in space before they re-enter the atmosphere toward their targets.

Since Israel’s missiles were at higher altitudes, Israel also used the David Slings and Arrow 2 and 3.

The US and the UK also steeped in. America fired about a dozen interceptors at Tuesday’s barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles fired at Israel, according to the Pentagon.

UK forces were involved in supporting Israel. Defence Secretary John Healey said British forces had “played their part in attempts to prevent further escalation”, but did not divulge details.

How has Israel responded to the attack?

In a stern warning to Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the latter committed a “big mistake” by attacking Tel Aviv and vowed to retaliate against Iran. “Iran made a big mistake tonight and will pay for it, whoever attacks us, we will attack them,” the PM said hours after missiles were launched towards the Jewish nation.

Speaking at a Cabinet meeting of Israeli ministers, Netanyahu said, “Iran does not understand” his country’s “determination to retaliate” against its enemies. “They will understand. We will stand by the rule we established: whoever attacks us – we will attack them,” according to BBC.

What are the US and Israel allies saying?

US President Joe Biden said the US “actively” supported Israel’s defence at his direction. He said he had spent the morning in the Situation Room, the White House hub, for handling serious national security issues.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin says the US “intercepted multiple missiles” launched by Iran towards Israel. “We condemn this outrageous act of aggression by Iran, and we call on Iran to halt any further attacks, including from its proxy terrorist groups,” he says in a statement.

British PM Keir Starmer has said Britain stands with Israel and supports the “reasonable demand for the security of its people”. In a statement from Downing Street on Tuesday evening, he said that Tehran has “menaced the Middle East for far too long” and called on the country to “stop these attacks”.

French President Emmanuel Macron said he strongly condemns Iran’s new attacks on Israel, adding that, in a sign of its commitment to Israel’s security it has mobilised its military resources in the Middle East on Wednesday. He reiterated France’s demand that Hezbollah cease its terrorist actions against Israel and its population, the French Presidency said in a statement.

Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Wednesday that missile attacks by Iran on Israel were “unacceptable”, warning against an escalation into “full-on war”. Ishiba made the comments after a phone call with US President Joe Biden, following his appointment as prime minister in parliament on Tuesday.

“Iran’s attack is unacceptable. We condemn this strongly. But at the same time, we would like to cooperate (with the United States) to defuse the situation and prevent it from escalating into a full-on war,” he told reporters.

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described Iran’s missile attack as a “dangerous escalation” and warned that any “further hostilities” would “put civilians at risk”.

What can we expect next?

Israel continues its attacks on Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed it has hit what it called “terrorist targets” in Beirut’s southern suburbs after warning residents in the area to evacuate. According to AFP, explosions could be heard and smoke was seen rising from the scene.

Meanwhile, Iran’s armed forces joint chief Maj Gen Mohammad Bagheri has threatened to target Israel’s’ infrastructure if it takes any retaliatory action against Tehran. “If [Israel]… wants to continue these crimes or wants to do anything against our sovereignty and territorial integrity, tonight’s operation will be repeated several times stronger and all their infrastructure will be targeted,” Bagheri said earlier.

But Israel is not expected to maintain restraint. It will evaluate how to respond to the missile attack.

Former Israeli intelligence officer Avi Melamed told BBC Iran’s attack “is poised to provoke a significant Israeli counterstrike… We will likely see a significant and immediate response from Israel against Iranian targets.”

With inputs from agencies