Iran has launched a wave of more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel in its second direct attack this year.
The escalation in violence has sparked fears of a wider, direct regional conflict in the Middle East between the two nations.
Also overnight, six people were killed in what Israeli police described as a terrorist attack in Tel Aviv.
Here’s the latest.
Iran attack
On Tuesday local time, Iran launched a direct attack on Israel, firing 180 rockets.
While the majority of the missiles were intercepted by Israel’s air defence system, some landed and struck buildings across the country.
One Palestinian man was killed by shrapnel from the attack in the West Bank.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement its missile attack was in response to the recent assassinations of Hezbollah’s leader, Hamas’ political leader and an IRGC commander.
It follows Iran’s round of airstrikes in April, when it fired more than 300 missiles and drones on Israel.
The IDF struck down the airstrikes with the help of international allies, including the U.S. and France.
Iran proxies
While this is only the second time Iran has directly attacked Israel, the two countries have had a hostile relationship for many decades, with conflict typically playing out via the actions of Iran-backed forces across the region.
Since the 1979 revolution which installed a conservative Muslim dictatorship, Iran has questioned the legitimacy of a Jewish state, and called for its destruction.
Iran provides funding and training for a number of other forces in the region, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.
Hezbollah
Recently, there’s been an escalation of tensions between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel.
A day after Hamas’ attack last year, Hezbollah started regularly launching missiles and rockets at Israel, displacing thousands of citizens in the country’s north. Since that time, cross-border attacks have continued.
Last month, the Israeli government updated its war objectives to include “returning the residents of the north [of Israel] securely to their homes”. In the weeks since, Israel has escalated its attacks.
Lebanon
Yesterday, the IDF announced it was conducting “limited, localised, and targeted raids against Hezbollah” in southern Lebanon. It’s the first time the IDF has launched a formal operation there since 2006.
It comes as Lebanese health authorities reported 1,000 people have been killed in recent Israeli attacks. The UN estimates around one million people have been displaced within Lebanon.
In these recent attacks, Israel has assassinated a number of senior Hezbollah figures (including long-time leader Hassan Nasrallah) who it claimed were proxies for Iran on its northern border.
Reaction to Iran
Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said the Iranian strikes were “thwarted” by effective defence systems. He also credited U.S. military intelligence for gathering evidence ahead of the attack.
“Iran made a big mistake – and it will pay for it,” he said.
An IDF spokesperson called the missile attacks a “severe and dangerous escalation”, vowing there “will be consequences”.
U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed both Israeli and American officials underwent “intensive planning” to defend against Iran’s attack.
Biden said there will be “severe consequences” as a result of the attacks.
National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, said: ‘U.S. naval destroyers joined Israeli air defence units… to shoot down inbound missiles.”
Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has joined a number of world leaders in condemning Iran’s strikes.
Tel Aviv attack
Also overnight, six people were killed in a shooting and stabbing attack in Tel Aviv. The two men were killed by security forces as they tried to flee.
Israel’s ambulance service confirmed paramedics were taking the injured to hospital while alarms rung out due to Iran’s missile strikes.
Israeli police declared the incident a terrorist attack.
