Iran attacked with a massive barrage of 181 ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday night, triggering air raid sirens across the country and forcing about nine million Israelis into bombproof shelters. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that many of the missiles were intercepted by Israel’s advanced missile defense systems, including the Iron Dome and Arrow systems. However, some missiles managed to evade the defenses, causing minor damage and injuries. Iranian Ambassador to India, Iraj Elahi, warned that Iran would “strike Israel again” unless tensions are de-escalated, calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the “Hitler of our time” and asserting that Israel would face consequences if hostilities continued.

In response to the attack, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan issued a strong warning to Iran, describing the missile strike as a “significant escalation” with “severe consequences” to follow. During a White House briefing, Sullivan emphasized that the US would support Israel in any retaliatory actions.

This missile strike marks the second direct attack by Iran on Israel this year, following a similar incident in April, which was quickly neutralized by Israeli and allied defenses. According to Iranian officials, the recent missile strikes were in retaliation for the recent killings of senior Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh during Israeli military operations. Guy Nir, spokesperson for the Israeli embassy in India, stated that Israel would respond appropriately to Tehran. He cautioned that if Ayatollah Ali Khamenei seeks a full-scale war with Israel, it would be a mistake, noting that Israel’s response would be strategic and targeted rather than an all-out war, which neither side desires.