The UN Security Council will meet urgently on Wednesday to discuss the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, Switzerland, the Council's chairman this month, announced today.
"We scheduled a meeting for 10.00:16.00 a.m. New York time (XNUMX:XNUMX p.m. CET), the Presidency announced.
Today, Iran fired about 200 ballistic missiles at Israel, which, according to the statement of the Revolutionary Guard, is retaliation for the murders of the leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas.
Israel said most of the rockets were intercepted and announced it would retaliate.
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US President Joseph Biden said today that there is an active discussion on how Israel will respond to Iran's ballistic missile attack and that the consequences for Tehran have yet to be seen, Reuters reports.
Speaking at the White House, Biden said he would speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He said Iran's attack was ineffective.
Iran's Foreign Ministry called on the United Nations (UN) Security Council to take "meaningful actions" to prevent threats to regional peace and security, after Tehran today fired a barrage of missiles at Israel in retaliation for the killing of several leaders of armed groups allied to Iran. Reuters reports.
The European Union (EU) today "in the strongest terms" condemned Iran's ballistic missile attack on Israel and called for an immediate ceasefire throughout the Middle East, Reuters reports.
"The dangerous cycle of attacks and reprisals risks... getting out of control," announced the EU's high representative for foreign policy and security, Josep Borelj, on the X social network.
"An immediate ceasefire is needed throughout the region," said Borelj.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkiyan said that his country's missile attack on Israel was a defense of Iranian interests and citizens, warning on the Iks social network that today's operation was "only a part of our power", reports CNN.
"This action was in defense of the interests and citizens of Iran. To let (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu know that Iran is not belligerent, but firmly opposes any threat," he wrote.
"Do not enter into a conflict with Iran," said Pezeshkiyan.
In a message posted on IX, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned in Hebrew that the "blows" against Israel would become "stronger and more painful."
"With God's help, the blows of the insurgent front will become stronger and more painful on the worn out and rotten body of the Zionist regime, he said.
Iran's attack on Israel proved to be "ineffective" and was repulsed by the Israeli side with the support of the United States of America (USA), White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said today.
He said that for now Washington has no knowledge of victims in Israel, but that it is trying to inquire about reports of the death of a Palestinian civilian in the occupied West Bank.
Sullivan said it was a "significant escalation by Iran."
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken described Iran's attack on Israel as "totally unacceptable" and said that the whole world would condemn it.
"Initial reports indicate that Israel, with the active support of the US and other partners, effectively failed that attack," he said.
He added that Iran fired about 200 ballistic missiles.
"Once again we have shown our commitment to the defense of Israel," added Blinken in a brief address to reporters.
Iran fired dozens of rockets at Israel today in response to the killing of its allies, the leaders of Lebanon's Hezbollah and Palestinian Hamas, Iran's second such attack in nearly six months.
Israel threatened to retaliate.
"This attack has consequences," warned Israeli army spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari.
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Israel's military said today it will choose when to "prove our precision and surprise attack capabilities" after the Iranian attack, adding that Israel has proven its ability "to prevent the enemy from achieving anything," Reuters reports.
The Israeli army announced this evening that the vast majority of the 180 rockets fired from Iran towards Israel were intercepted.
One security official said most of the rockets were intercepted by the Israeli Air Force. Damage is being assessed where the rockets fell.
It was also said that Israel would continue attacks throughout the Middle East, the agencies reported.
Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters that Israel's air force "continues to operate at full capacity and tonight will also continue to strike hard in the Middle East as it has done over the past year."
He assessed that the Israeli and American defense systems worked effectively, and that there was close cooperation in detection and interception.
Jordan said its air force also intercepted missiles from Iran.
Meanwhile, Iran has canceled all flights until ten o'clock tomorrow, Reuters reported.
Meanwhile, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei remains in a safe location after today's rocket attack on Israel, a high-ranking official told a British agency.
He was moved there after the killing of pro-Iranian Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike on Friday.
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer today expressed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu his "continued commitment" to Israel's security and the protection of civilians after the Iranian missile attack, Reuters reports.
A spokesman for Starmer's office said the prime minister spoke with Netanyahu on Tuesday afternoon and the leaders discussed the escalating situation across the Middle East.
Today, Iran fired a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for Israel's campaign against Tehran's ally Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Israel promised a "painful response" against its enemy, Reuters reports.
Alarms sounded across Israel, and explosions could be heard in Jerusalem and the Jordan River Valley after Israeli citizens took refuge in shelters
State television reporters lay on the ground during live broadcasts.
Israel said more than 180 missiles were fired at Israel from Iran and that Israeli air defenses were activated to intercept them.
US Navy warships helped intercept some missiles fired by Iran at Israel, a US defense official told Reuters.
The Israeli army later said that everything was clear and that residents were free to leave the shelters.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Iran had fired dozens of missiles at Israel and that if Israel retaliated, Tehran's response would be "heavier and more devastating."
Tehran targeted three Israeli military bases in the attack, the Iranian state news agency reported.
Israeli army spokesman Danijel Hagari said that the attack will have consequences, and Israeli ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Deni Danon said the same.
"As we have previously made clear to the international community, any enemy that attacks Israel should expect a painful response," Danon said in a statement.
Israel's military said it would continue "strong strikes" until Tuesday night across the Middle East following the Iranian strike, Israeli media reported.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and several other ministers met in a bunker near Jerusalem, where the security cabinet is due to meet soon, two Israeli officials said.
In Beirut, the commander of the "Imam Hussein" division was killed in Israeli strikes, the Israeli army said, referring to the Hezbollah-affiliated group based in Syria.
"The Israeli military was not aware of any injuries from the Iranian missile attacks," Hagari said.
However, the Palestinian Civil Defense Authority in the Israeli-occupied West Bank said one man was killed near Jericho, and debris from falling rockets caused damage and fires in the area.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that the order to launch the missiles at Israel was given by the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
"Khamnei is still in a safe location," the senior official added.
Oil prices rose 5 percent on news of Iran's missile attacks, raising the prospect of a wider war between the two arch-enemies.
A previous round of Iranian missiles fired at Israel in April – the first ever – was shot down with the help of the US military and other allies. Israel then responded with airstrikes against Iran, but a wider escalation was avoided.
Iran did not previously inform the United States of America (USA) about its attack on Israel today, according to the Iranian mission to the United Nations (UN) in New York, Reuters reports.
"No notification was given to the United States of America before our response; however, a serious warning was issued afterwards," the Iranian mission said in a statement.
US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said today that Iran's attack on Israel appears to have been defeated, although US President Joseph Biden's administration is still monitoring the "fluid" situation, Reuters reports.
Sullivan said the administration is following up on the reported death of a Palestinian civilian in the West Bank.
Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari announced this evening that Iran's attack on Israel today will have consequences, adding that the country remains on high alert.
The situation throughout Israel and the region was extremely tense tonight, agencies report.
When the sirens sounded, people took cover by the roads, under cars and under bridges while Iran fired rockets in the direction of Israeli territory.
"We are on heightened defensive and offensive alertness, we will protect the citizens of Israel. This fire will have consequences. We have plans and will act at the time and place we choose," he said.
"We are facing a war on multiple fronts," Hagari said when asked if Israel was facing a regional war.
He added that this was not the first attack by Iran, alluding to the attack in April, but said that this attack was wider.
The spokesman said there were no reports of injuries, thanks to the responsible behavior of the public, the activation of the defense and the actions of Israel's partners to defend it.
It was later reported that one Palestinian was killed by shrapnel from a rocket in the West Bank.
When asked if there will be an immediate response to Iran, the spokesman answered briefly that the preparedness is maximum.
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Israeli media reported today a statement from the Israeli army, which states that the air force will continue to carry out "strong strikes" across the Middle East tonight, a few hours after Iran fired a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel, Reuters reports.
The Hamas movement announced today that it praised Iran's missile strikes in revenge for the deaths of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah leader Sayed Hassan Nasrallah and Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan, Reuters reports.
"We congratulate the heroic rocket launch carried out by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran, on large areas of our occupied territories, in response to the continuous crimes of the occupation against the peoples of the region, and in retaliation for the heroic blood of the martyrs of our nation," Hamas said.
Celebratory gunfire rang out in Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanese media reported, as Iran launched rocket fire at Israel in response to the killings of Palestinian Hamas officials and Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
"Fierce gunfire is heard from automatic weapons from the area of the southern suburbs, they are looking forward to firing rockets from Iran towards Israel," the Lebanese National News Agency reported.
An Agence France-Presse correspondent also reported that gunfire could be heard from a Hezbollah stronghold that has been the target of Israeli strikes since Friday, when the leader of the pro-Iranian Shiite organization Nasrallah was killed.
The Israeli army has ordered the closure of a new military area in the region of Dovov, Tivbon and Malkija in the north of Israel, it was announced today, Reuters reports.
"Entry into this area is strictly prohibited," the Israeli army added in a statement.
The Israeli army has announced that citizens can leave protected areas, according to Israeli media.
Ballistic rockets started flying in the direction of Israel, over parts of Jordan a little more than an hour ago, and after several hours of tension due to warnings that the attack will begin soon.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari said on television that there were no reports of injuries after about 200 rockets were fired from Iran.
He added that there appeared to be no further threats of incoming rockets, but added that Israel was ready.
Israel then opened its airspace, closed after the start of the rocket fire.
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Today's Iranian missile attack was serious and will have consequences, said a spokesman for the Israeli army, refusing to specify how and when Israel would respond, Reuters reports.
Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said he was not aware of any casualties from the missile attack.
He said there were several hits in the center of the country and in the south.
US bases in Iraq and the region will be targeted if the United States (US) joins any response to Iranian attacks on Israel or if Israel uses Iraqi airspace against Tehran, Iraqi armed groups backed by Iran said today, reports Reuters.
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