Israel: Iran fired 180 missiles in unprecedented attack on country

FILE: Hebron tour, August 28, 2015. (Photo By Oren Rozen/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)

By Anadolu, Philippine News Agency

JERUSALEM – Israel said late Tuesday that Iran fired a barrage of missiles at the country in an attack that Tehran described as retaliation for the assassinations of senior Iranian, Hamas, and Hezbollah officials.

Israel’s Army Radio reported the launch of 180 missiles, revising an earlier estimate of at least 200. Sirens sounded across the country, halting all takeoffs and landings at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv.

The Israel Airports Authority declared the closure of airspace, rerouting flights to alternative airports abroad, according to Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth daily. The military urged residents of the country’s southern and central regions to “immediately enter a protected space and remain there until further instructions are given.”

An Anadolu correspondent observed dozens of missiles in the sky over the occupied West Bank heading toward Negev and Tel Aviv. Loud explosions were heard in Jerusalem due to interceptors.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced the immediate deployment of about 13,000 emergency volunteers across the country, while Israel’s public broadcaster described the missile barrage as “an unprecedented ballistic attack on Israel.”

Later, Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said in a press conference that several Iranian missiles had been intercepted and that there were no further threats from Iran, advising residents to leave shelters.

The Israeli military warned citizens against sharing videos of missile impacts to prevent providing information to “enemies.

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In light of the Iranian attacks, Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq announced temporary airspace closures for all aircraft to ensure the safety of air navigation.

The Jordanian military also urged citizens to remain indoors for their safety.

In Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) announced in a statement that “dozens of ballistic missiles were launched at important military and security targets deep within the occupied territories,” stating that this attack was “in response to the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and IRGC Commander Abbas Nilforoshan.”

Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran in July, while Nasrallah was assassinated in Beirut on Friday along with Nilforoshan.