Mogadishu,Somalia Iran launched around 180 missiles towards Israel, the Israeli military said. That would make it a slightly larger attack than April’s barrage, which saw about 110 ballistic missiles and 30 cruise missiles fired towards Israel.
Footage carried by Israeli TV appeared to show some missiles flying over the Tel Aviv area shortly before 19:45 local time (16:45 GMT).
Most missiles were shot down by Israeli aerial defence systems, an Israeli security official said, while a BBC correspondent in Jerusalem said some military bases may have been hit, and that restaurants and schools were hit.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) maintained that 90% of projectiles had hit their targets, saying hypersonic missiles had been used for the first time. IRGC sources said three Israeli military bases had been targeted.
The Palestinian civil defence authority in the occupied West Bank city of Jericho said a man there died during the Iranian missile barrage.
According to the AFP news agency, which spoke to city governor Hussein Hamayel, the victim was killed by falling rocket debris.
Israeli officials have not reported any serious injuries as a result of Tuesday’s air attacks, but Israeli medics said two people had been slightly wounded by shrapnel.
Why did Iran attack Israel?
The IRGC said the attacks were in response to Israel’s killing of one of its top commanders and leaders of Iran-backed militias in the region.
It mentioned the killings of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and IRGC commander Abbas Nilforoshan in the Lebanese capital Beirut on 27 September.
It also referenced the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July. While Israel has not admitted to being behind Haniyeh’s death, it is widely believed to be responsible.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters news agency the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had personally given the order for Tuesday’s missile attack.
Iran does not recognise Israel’s right to exist and seeks its eradication. It has spent years backing paramilitary organisations opposed to Israel.
Israel believes that Iran poses an existential threat and has spent years running covert operations against Tehran.
