On October 1, Iran launched missile attacks on Israel after months of escalating violence between Israeli and Iranian forces. This was the largest ever missile attack on Israel, firing around 200 ballistic missiles. The attack this time was done using advanced weapons and also came with very little warning, unlike the previous Tehran strike or missile barrage in April 2024. According to the Chief of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Mohammed Bagheri, the missile attack that was initiated by Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) was direct retaliation to the killing of Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh on July 31 and IRGC Commander Abbas Nilforoushan as well as killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut.
Israel defences system performance
Meanwhile, Israel’s defences system performed exceptionally well in defeating the missiles as well as reducing consequences of the ballistic missile attack that took place on Tuesday. The ARROW, which is a long range missile designed to detect any approaching projectiles or supersonic interceptors and knock them down performed wonderfully as quoted by Israel Aerospace Industries CEO Boaz Levy. Arrow is developed by State-owned IAI in partnership with U.S. Boaz also mentioned the use of Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 interceptors, which fly at very high altitudes. However, no other information such as how many were used was not revealed. Due to which there were no serious consequences of the missile attack. Unfortunately, one civilian was found dead in the West Bank due to the missile attack.
Iran Criticizes U.S. for Supporting Israel
The Israel Air Defence was supported by the United States which provided them with two warships Bulkeley and Cole which were deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean which fired several anti-missile munitions.
“It’s our commitment to Israel to ensure that Israel is able to defend itself,” she told reporters at a Defense Writers Group event. “Our ships are arrayed in the manner that the Central Command commander wants them to be, to be able to be postured, to be able to respond to an attack like this.”
Now Iran has expressed bitterness over the United States helping Israel. Ali Khamenei, who is the supreme leader of Iran has taken on X and said
The root of the problem in our region, these conflicts and wars, is the presence of those who claim to advocate peace in the region. That is, the United States and some European countries.
If the villainy of the US and certain European countries is removed from this region, undoubtedly these conflicts and wars will be completely eliminated. Then the countries in the region can live together in peace, health, and prosperity.
Israel says greatest opportunity
Israel, on the other hand, vows a very “strong response” to Iran. Naftali Bennett, Former Prime Minister of Israel also took on X (twitter) and said that this is the greatest opportunity in 50 years to change the face of the Middle East by acting “now” to destroy Iran’s nuclear program along with its Central Energy facilities so that the terrorist regime is fatally cripple. He said:
Israel has now its greatest opportunity in 50 years, to change the face of the Middle East.
The leadership of Iran, which used to be good at chess, made a terrible mistake this evening.
We must act now to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, its central energy facilities, and to fatally cripple this terrorist regime.
To strike the head of the octopus of terror, that, in its cowardice, sent its tentacles (Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, etc.) to murder us, while the Ayatollahs sat safely in their palaces in Tehran.
The octopus’s tentacles are temporarily paralysed – now comes the head.
We must remove this terrible threat to our children’s future.
We can grant the Iranian people an opportunity to rise up and shake off the regime that tyrannizes its women and daughters.
We have the justification. We have the tools. Now that Hezbollah and Hamas are paralyzed, Iran stands exposed.
Over this last terrible year, Iranian tentacles murdered our families. Raped our daughters. Kidnapped our children. Ransacked our towns. Burned our fields. Fired on our ships. Terrorized children in Kiryat Shmona, Kfar Aza, and Sderot.
Emptied out whole regions of our land. Humiliated us.
Now is the moment.
A Nation of Lions has united and proven its strength over the last year. It has yearned for a change, for action, for so very long.
There are times when history knocks at our door, and we must open it.
This opportunity must not be missed.
Now it is only a matter of time when Israel will retaliate to Iran’s missile attack.