People in Beirut celebrating Iran’s missile attack at Israel

Escalation could lead to ‘tremendous destruction’ in region

Geopolitical analyst HA Hellyer says the region is experiencing an “unstable situation” that could lead to an all-out war between Israel on one side, and Iran and its allies on the other.

Hellyer decried discourse by some hawkish commentators and politicians in Israel and the US about reshaping the Middle East via escalation.

“It’s very dangerous to have this sort of rhetoric because it means that people really don’t understand that the populations of the region will be the ones that pay the price for this adventurism, for this recklessness,” he told Al Jazeera.

Missiles targeted Israeli tanks: Iran state media

Iranian state television has reported that some of the ballistic missiles fired by the IRGC targeted Israeli tanks located at the so-called Netzarim Corridor. The Netzarim Corridor was set up to split northern Gaza from the south in the early days of the Israeli offensive on the enclave.

The IRGC reportedly said the effort was “successful” and accused the Israeli military of imposing heavy censorship on the news.

The IRGC claim could not be independently verified.

_{This picture taken from the West Bank city of Hebron shows projectiles above the Israeli city of Ashdod on Tuesday}

Israel’s army says ‘few’ hits and casualties from Iran attack

Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari has said that the country’s air defences shot down many Iranian missiles and that only a “few” hits were recorded in central and southern areas of the country.

Two people were injured from falling shrapnel in the Tel Aviv area, according to Israel’s emergency service. There were a few other minor injuries in other places, it added.

Houthi spokesperson ‘salutes’ Iran for missile attack

Mohammed Abdulsalam welcomes the Iranian military operation, which he said shows support for Palestine and challenges Israel’s hegemony in the region.

“Deterring the Zionist entity and confronting it is the only way to reign it in and prevent it from escalating its barbaric crime against the Lebanese and Palestinian people and the rest of the region,” Abdulsalam said in a social media post.

‘A different kind of attack’

It is just 24 hours since US State Department representatives said they believe that Israel’s military involvement in Lebanon could force some level of diplomacy, but they were always aware that the Iranians could launch a retaliatory strike.

There will be moves going on behind the scenes in Washington to try and limit what is going on.

Remember that in April of this year, when the Iranians launched an attack against Israel, the United States built up a coalition of Arab countries to help take down some of the drones and cruise missiles that were fired.

That time, Iran fired cruise missiles and drones because they take slightly longer to get to Israel from Iran. That was seen as a move by the Iranians to perhaps give the Israelis more time. It indicated that that was perhaps some sort of symbolic attack.

The fact that Iran reportedly fired ballistic missiles means that this is a different kind of attack. And so the ground under the feet of the US State Department has been changed markedly.

Iraqi group says it will target US bases in Iraq if Washington joins Israel in attacking Iran

An Iraqi group has said US bases in Iraq will be targeted if Washington decides to support Israel in attacking Iran.

In a statement on Telegram, the Iraqi Resistance Coordination Committee said that the bases would be targeted also if the US uses Iraqi airspace to respond to Iran’s launching of missiles into Israel.

“If the Americans intervene in any hostile action against the Islamic Republic or if the Zionist enemy uses Iraqi airspace to carry out any bombing operations on its territory, then all American bases and interests in Iraq and the region will be our target,” the group said.

Social media users in Egypt’s El Arish capture missile attack on video

Social media users in Egypt’s El Arish, near the border with Gaza, have posted footage online capturing the moment of the missile attack.

بالفيديو من العريش بشمال سيناء الصراع بين القبة الحديدية و الصواريخ الايرانية #سيناء #ايران #فلسطين pic.twitter.com/OjK4R1rg2U

— mostafa singer (@MostafasingerMr) October 1, 2024

Jordan, Iraq close airspace

Jordan and Iraq have temporarily closed their airspace following the attack. We earlier reported that Lebanon shut down its air traffic for two hours.

Israel also briefly paused air traffic but resumed flights after the attack ended.

Israel’s UN envoy says Iran should expect ‘severe response’

In a post on X, Israel’s representative at the UN, Danny Danon, said Israel is “ready and prepared defensively and offensively”.

“We will take all necessary measures to protect the citizens of Israel,” he wrote. “As we have previously made clear to the international community, any enemy that attacks Israel should expect a severe response.”

Gaza residents celebrate Iranian missile attack

Footage has been posted online showing people in the besieged and bombarded Gaza Strip using their mobile phones to capture the missile attack overhead and erupting in celebrations.

Nearly a year of relentless Israeli attacks on Gaza have killed more than 41,500 people and wounded almost 100,000, with thousands still missing under the rubble of destroyed buildings.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAlr7Z9N3i7

Iran reroutes, grounds flights

Iran’s state media, citing the country’s civil aviation authority, says passenger flights over Iran have been redirected to alternative routes and flights due to take off at Tehran’s international airport have been grounded.

“For the time being, we have suspended incoming and outgoing flights at Tehran International Airport,” the ISNA news agency quoted airport chief Said Chalandari as saying.

Iran grounds flights until morning, Lebanon allows flights to head west

The spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Organisation in Iran says that all flights have been cancelled until 10am (06:30 GMT) on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Transport Minister Ali Hamie says flights can only take off towards the west.

“After coordinating with the Cypriot aviation authorities, planes are allowed to take off towards the west until all developments and data are evaluated to take the appropriate decision that ensures safety of air traffic in Lebanese airspace,” Hamie said on X.

Earlier, the minister had said Lebanese airspace was closed to air traffic for two hours.

Jordan has reopened its airspace after a temporary closure.

Palestinian in West Bank killed by shrapnel of intercepted rocket

Falling shrapnel from an intercepted Iranian missile fired at Israel has killed a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank, Jericho’s governor has said.

“A Palestinian worker in Jericho was killed when pieces of a rocket fell from the sky and hit him,” Jericho governor Hussein Hamayel told the AFP news agency. The Palestinian Civil Defence identified the man as Sameh Khader al-Asali, 38.

White House says US Navy destroyers joined Israeli military in shooting down Iranian missiles

White House National Security Council Advisor Jake Sullivan has confirmed that US forces again worked alongside the Israeli military in responding to the Iranian attack.

“The United States military coordinated closely with the [Israeli Army] to help defend Israel against this attack. US naval destroyers joined Israeli air defense units in firing” at Iranian missiles, he said.

He described the Iran attack as “appears to have been defeated” and said Washington was continuing to monitor for another wave of attacks. Sullivan described the attack as a “major escalation” by Iran and said that Washington was in discussions with Israel regarding its possible response.

No calls for de-escalation? Hypocrites.

Biden, Harris remain in the situation room

The US president abruptly changed his schedule, including the White House press briefing, which was pushed back at least 90 minutes.

We know that Joe Biden has been in the situation room with Vice President Kamala Harris for the last few hours. They have been watching and monitoring the Iranian attack from there, receiving regular updates from their national security team.

We also know that Biden has directed the US military to aid Israel and to shoot down the missiles.

The latest press briefing is now at 19:00 GMT. We also know that there will be a Pentagon briefing around the same time, so we’re hoping to get a lot more detail about what has been happening.

Khamenei predicts ‘imminent divine victory’

Quoting verses from the Quran, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is seemingly predicting an “imminent divine victory”.

In two separate posts on X, Khamenei said that “righteous people” may have to make sacrifices “but they will not be defeated at the end of the day”.

“They are the victors in the field,” he said in a video showing footage of Iranian missiles being launched.


Three Tel Aviv military bases were target of attack: Iran’s IRGC

In a new statement, the IRGC has said its missile attack was aimed at three military bases in the Tel Aviv area.

The barrage, accompanied by a large-scale cyberattack, also utilised Iran’s new Fatah hypersonic ballistic missiles for the first time, according to Iranian state media.

Israel’s military, as we reported, said some 180 missiles were fired into the country, a large number of which, it said, were intercepted.

Iran could be ‘on the path to war’ with Israel

Omar Rahman, a fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, says Iran’s missile attack on Israel was “expected” – a retaliatory act to help it regain credibility after weeks of Israeli assaults on its allies.

However, the attack could now trigger a direct response from Israel, potentially leading to a larger war that “much of the region has tried to avoid for the past 11 months”, said Rahman.

For Netanyahu, such a war is a way to reshape his political fortunes and redeem himself after October 7, he added. So while Iran has tried to avoid it, “it’s on the path to some kind of war with Israel”, said Rahman.

Iran’s president warns Israel: Do not enter a conflict with us

Iran’s president has issued a statement after the attack on Israel, calling it a “decisive response” to Israel’s “aggressions”, but stressing that Iran does not want war.

“This action was in defence of the interests and citizens of Iran,” said President Masoud Pezeshkian in a post on X. “Let Netanyahu know that Iran does not seek war, but it stands firmly against any threat … Do not enter into a conflict with Iran.”

Israeli bases struck, Hezbollah official says

A senior Hezbollah official has told Al Jazeera that the Iranian missile attack was a success and several Israeli military bases were struck as planned.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added that the interception rate by Israel’s missile defence systems was “weak”, stressing that there were casualties among Israeli troops.

The Israeli military often censors information about damage caused to its facilities.

There must be ‘consequences’ after Iranian attack: US State Department

The US State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, says that “every nation in the world” must join the US in condemning Iran’s attack on Israel.

During a news conference, he said that “Israel has the right to defend itself, as any nation does”, adding “there must be consequences” for the attack.

“I’m not going to get into what those consequences are today, but there are things on which we will be coordinating with our Israeli counterparts.”

Pentagon says US forces remain ‘well postured’ in Middle East

Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder said US forces remain “well postured throughout the Middle East” to protect its personnel and support Israel’s defence. Here’s what else he said:

Fact check April 14th: Israel’s chief military spokesman, Daniel Hagari, said Iran’s attack involved more than 120 ballistic missiles, 170 drones and more than 30 cruise missiles, according to a report by The Associated Press news agency. Seems to add up to more than 180... Other reports say over 300 drones.

Iran’s IRGC claims 90 percent of missiles hit targets

The IRGC has released a second statement, calling the operation True Promise 2, a follow-up to their attack in April.

The IRGC said:

Watch | The Israeli Iron Dome failed to intercept any of the Iranian missiles hitting military bases in Israel. pic.twitter.com/bl9HmHNN9T

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) October 1, 2024

No advance warning to US ahead of attack: Iran’s UN mission

In a statement, Iran’s mission to the United Nations says the Iranian government did not send any prior warning to the US before it launched its missile attack on Israel.

“However, a serious warning was issued afterwards,” the statement added.

US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, speaking at a news briefing, also said the US received no advance warning of the attack from the Iranian government.

A few hours before the attack, US officials said they had “indications” Iran was readying for an imminent attack.

Israeli army threatens ‘surprise’ retaliatory attack

Israel’s military has issued another statement threatening retaliation for Iran’s missile barrage.

In a post on X, the military said it will “choose when … to prove our precise and surprising attack capabilities” against Iran.

Citing its “strong air defence system”, the military also claimed it had proven its “ability to prevent the enemy from achieving its goals”.

Iran’s Zarif slams Western ‘hypocrisy’, says Israel and allies ‘responsible for consequences’

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s former foreign minister and current strategic adviser to President Masoud Pezeshkian, has criticised Western “hypocrisy”, calling it “not just outrageous, but extremely dangerous”.

In a post on X, Zarif said Western countries “have aided and abetted the Israeli genocide in Gaza and acquiesced in Israeli aggressions against Iran, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and other countries in the region”.

He added that Iran has an “inherent right” of self-defence against repeated Israeli attacks. “Israel and its allies alone are responsible for all consequences of Israel’s persistent provocations and escalations,” Zarif said.

Western hypocrisy is not just outrageous, but extremely dangerous.
Western States have aided and abetted the Israeli genocide in Gaza and acquiesced in Israeli aggressions against Iran, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and other countries in the region.
Iran has an inherent… pic.twitter.com/vVGHcvKgwt

— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) October 1, 2024

Biden: United States is fully, fully, fully supportive of Israel

US President Joe Biden said there were active discussions ongoing over how Israel would respond, adding that the consequences remain to be seen and that he would soon speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“The attack appears to have been defeated and ineffective,” Biden said, echoing an earlier statement made by his national security adviser. “Make no mistake: the United States is fully, fully, fully supportive of Israel.”

After Iran’s attack, Lebanese grappling with prospect of full-fledged war

When it comes to the Iranian attack on Israel, Lebanon is part of this whole scene.

But I haven’t seen much celebration here. I’ve seen people trying to contemplate what is happening … the possibility of an all-out war in the region. A regional war would mean Lebanon would get even more immersed. That is the main issue many are trying to digest.

US failure to pressure Israel to end Gaza fighting leading to regional war

Analysts have been warning for months that the failure of the Biden’s administration to pressure Netanyahu’s government to agree to a ceasefire in Gaza would push the Middle East into a regional war.

“A regional war becomes inevitable when the US continues to fund and aid Netanyahu and all of his war crimes, his genocide, his attacks on all of his neighbours,” Raed Jarrar, advocacy director at Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), a think tank in Washington, DC told Al Jazeera.

“This will not stop without the US putting its foot down and saying ‘we will not send more weapons to Israel, we will not fund and aid Israeli crimes’,” Jarrar said.

Iranian missile attack failed, says Netanyahu

Israel’s PM has also vowed retaliation, saying Iran “will pay” for its actions.

“Iran made a big mistake tonight – and it will pay for it,” Benjamin Netanyahu said at the outset of a political-security meeting. “The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our determination to retaliate against our enemies.

“We will adhere to the principle we have set: Whoever attacks us, we will attack them. This is true in every region we fight the axis of evil and it is true for Iran as well.”

_{Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu}

Iran’s attack ‘very calculated’

Tohid Asadi, a Tehran-based writer and Iranian affairs specialist, says the Iranian military’s claims that it hit military rather than civilian targets in Israel show that it is being careful not to “drag the region into an all-out war”.

While Iran had demonstrated patience during months of Israeli attacks on its allies and in its territory, it eventually had an “obligation” to respond, Asadi told Al Jazeera. Iran is “trying to retaliate, but in a very calculated way”, he added, noting that Iranian state TV shows people taking to the streets to celebrate the country’s missile attack on Israel .

UK, Spain condemn Iranian attack

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he has spoken with Netanyahu and “expressed the UK’s steadfast commitment to Israeli security and the protection of civilians”, according to a readout of the call from Starmer’s office.

He added he condemned the Iranian attack “in the strongest terms”. Spain also released a statement saying it “strong condemns” the attack.

“The international community must act immediately to stop the regional escalation with unforeseeable consequences,” it said.

What happens next?

Sina Toossi, senior fellow at the Center for International Policy think-tank, says the Iranian attack aimed to restore Tehran’s deterrence.

Toossi said the launch showed that Iranian missiles can evade Israel’s advanced defence systems and strike targets inside the country, sending a message to the Israeli government that any attack against Iran would be costly.

He said US and Israeli assertions that the attack “failed” open the door for de-escalation, but tensions will persist.

“Even if Iran’s attack does not trigger a broader regional war right now or an attack on Iran, I think it’ll be a very unstable equilibrium,” Toossi told Al Jazeera.

“In the coming months, when Israel finds an opportunity, it’s going to probably try to hit back and hit back hard against Iran – assassination, sabotage, if not military attack.”

UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting Wednesday

The current council president, Switzerland, has called the meeting to discuss the situation in the Middle East.

Switzerland holds the presidency of the council for the month of October but does not have veto power like the five permanent members: the UK, China, France, Russia and the US.

Buildings reduced to rubble after Israeli attack on central Lebanon

_{The aftermath of an Israeli attack on Ain al-Delb, near the city of Sidon on Tuesday}

Israeli attacks killed 55 in Lebanon on Tuesday

As Israel warns Iran of a response, its attacks across Lebanon have killed 55 people and wounded 156, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.

Israeli military tells residents to evacuate southern Beirut suburbs

The Israeli military has issued new evacuation orders in the southern suburbs of Beirut, warning in a statement that it will hit Hezbollah targets in buildings there.

EU condemns Iranian attack

The European Union has condemned Iran’s retaliatory attack on Israel “in the strongest terms” and called for an immediate ceasefire across the Middle East.

“The dangerous cycle of attacks and retaliation risks … spiralling out of control,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell posted on X.

The EU condemns in the strongest terms Iran’s attack against Israel.

The dangerous cycle of attacks and retaliation risks to spiralling out of control. An immediate ceasefire across the region is needed.

The EU remains fully committed to contribute to avert a regional war.

— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) October 1, 2024

Iranian armed forces warn Israel and allies against retaliation

The General Staff of the Iranian armed forces has threatened the US and Israel with direct military action if they launch attacks on Iranian soil.

In a statement, the armed forces praised the IRGC’s missile attacks on Israel – which were backed by the Iranian army and the Defence Ministry – as Iran’s legitimate right in response to Israeli aggression.

“The General Staff warns that if the aggressor regime acts to retaliate, it must await the destruction of its infrastructures in the occupied Palestinian territories on a massive and all-encompassing scale,” it said.

“And if the countries backing the regime, including the US, intervene directly in violating and attacking Islamic Iran, their centres and interests across the region will simultaneously be confronted with the decisive attack of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”