Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed retaliation against Iran after what he described as a serious miscalculation.
His statement came in response to Iran launching over 180 missiles into Israel on Tuesday, marking a sharp escalation in the conflict between the two nations and their regional allies, raising concerns of a broader Middle East war.
Iran claimed the missile strike was in retaliation for recent Israeli attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hezbollah, a militant group supported by Iran, has been launching rockets into Israel since the onset of the Gaza conflict.
Iran fires at least 180 missiles into Israel as regionwide conflict grows
Earlier that day, Israel initiated a limited ground offensive in southern Lebanon.
Air raid sirens blared across Israel, prompting civilians to seek shelter, as the country’s missile defense systems intercepted many of the incoming missiles. However, some missiles hit central and southern Israel, resulting in two injuries. In the West Bank, Palestinian officials reported the death of a Palestinian man near Jericho, though the origin of that missile remains unclear.
This escalating conflict has intensified fears of a regionwide war.