Iran launches missiles in opposition to Israel in counter-strike after vowing a ‘crushing response’
Tehran has vowed a ‘crushing’ response in retaliation for a daylight missile strike by the United States and Israel, as Israeli citizens were this morning warned to stay close to shelters amid warnings of incoming missiles.
Shortly after 8am, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said it had identified ballistic missiles launched from Iran toward Israel, with defensive systems operating to ‘intercept the threat’.
The Home Front Command in Israel had sent alerts to mobile phones in the areas thought to be targeted warning citizens to head for their safe rooms and shelters.
Images emerging show hospital patients being placed in a car park at Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv for safety, following the sounding of sirens.
The first strike, which follows weeks of knife-edge tensions building up between the two countries, happened near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Today’s action comes just over eight months since Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel in revenge for strikes on its nuclear sites.
At that time Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei vowed to ‘inflict heavy blows’ in a chilling threat to civilians in Tel Aviv, having blamed Israel for starting a war.
Israel has named its latest operation ‘Lion’s Roar’, following on from its previous operation in June, which was named ‘Rising Lion’.
Patients are placed in a car park at Sourasky Medical Center for safety after sirens sounded in Tel Aviv following ‘pre-emptive’ strikes on Tehran this morning
People watch as smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, on Saturday
During the onslaught in June, Israeli Prime Minister Mr Netanyahu revealed more attacks were ‘on the way’, adding that ‘the regime does not know what hit them, or what will hit them. It has never been weaker’.
The latest strikes come as Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said they were a necessity ‘to remove threats’.
In his analysis, Amos Yadlin, Israel’s former intelligence chief, told Israel’s Channel 12 that ‘you cannot bring down a regime from the air,’ but that it could be ‘restricted’ from what it could do.
He added there was ‘no doubt’ the Iranian regime would be looking to respond to the military strikes seen this morning.
Several hospitals in Israel have launched their emergency protocols, including moving patients and surgeries to underground facilities.
This is a developing story, more follows.
