Iran fired ballistic missiles against Israel on Tuesday, October 1, with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps saying the assault was in retaliation for Israeli killings of militant leaders and aggression in Lebanon against the Iran-backed armed movement Hezbollah and in Gaza.
Fears that Iran and the US would be drawn into a regional war have risen with Israel’s intensifying assault on Lebanon in the past two weeks, including the start of a ground operation there on Monday, and its year-old conflict in the Gaza Strip.
Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets after Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel, October 1, 2024. Amir Cohen/ReutersA man holds children as people take cover during an air raid siren after Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles, amid cross-border hostilities in central Israel October 1, 2024. Ronen Zvulun/ReutersPeople take cover by the side of a road as a siren sounds and after Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles at Israel, in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 1, 2024. Tomer Appelbaum/ReutersIsraeli rescue force members inspect the site where a missile fired from Iran towards Israel hit a school building, in central Israel, October 1, 2024. Amir Cohen/Reuters
Iran has said, however, that it exercised “self-defense” against Israel and its action is concluded unless the “Israeli regime decides to invite further retaliation,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi says on social media platform X on Wednesday.
Iranians celebrate on a street after the IRGC attack on Israel, in Tehran, Iran, October 1, 2024. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via ReutersIran-backed shi’ite groups fighters celebrate on a street, after the IRGC attack on Israel, in Basra, Iraq, October 1, 2024. Essam Al-sudani/ReutersIraqi people celebrate on a street, after the IRGC attack on Israel, in Basra, Iraq, October 1, 2024. Mohammed Aty/Reuters
