Iran began its retaliation against Israel for its surprise attack with over 100 ballistic missiles.
The Israel Defense Forces announced the expected retaliation, with Iranian state media showing footage purporting to be some of the launches. Damage has been reported in Tel Aviv.
The IDF said it identified missiles “launched from Iran towards the territory of the State of Israel. The defense systems are working to intercept the threat.” It warned residents to “enter the protected areas and remain there until further notice.”
An IDF press conference was cut short after the launches were detected.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned of a response in a televised address.
“Life will be dark for them,” he said. “They should not think they have attacked and it’s over.”
“They started it, they started a war,” Khamenei added. “We will not allow them to escape this big crime unharmed. Iran’s armed forces will definitely be striking hard.”
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Israeli Channel 12 quoted a senior Israeli official warning against celebrations over the success of Israel’s initial attacks.
“Iranian missiles will get here, and it won’t take them long. The results will not be minor. That’s precisely why we need to use every moment to attack and not hold back. We won’t take our foot off the gas. We are preparing for a lengthy conflict. This is one of the most significant historic events since the establishment of the state,” the official said.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.