Israel-Iran live updates: Tehran fires 180 ballistic missiles as six killed in Tel-Aviv terror attack
A mass shooting and knife attack in the Jaffa neighborhood of Tel Aviv occurred just before Iran launched its missile strike against Israel
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Israel called Iran’s missile strike on Tuesday “ineffective,” but Iranian officials said its attack intentionally avoided civilian areas and instead focused on military targets.
Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed retaliation for Iran’s missile attack as Tehran has threatened “vast destruction” will follow any Israeli response, raising fears of a wider war.
The Israeli military said around 180 missiles were fired as civilians took cover in bomb shelters with sirens sounding across the country. At least one of the missiles fractured and fell into Jordan, which confirmed early on Wednesday that its air force assisted in intercepting some Iranian missiles. Three people were injured by the debris.
Just minutes before the attack, six people were killed and nine were wounded in a mass shooting and stabbing attack in the Jaffa neighborhood of Tel Aviv.
As US and UK leaders condemned the bombardment on Tuesday, Iran's armed forces warned direct intervention by Israel's supporters would provoke a "strong attack" on their "bases and interests" in the region, adding that any Israeli response would be met with “vast destruction” of Israeli infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Prime Minister warned: “Iran made a big mistake tonight – and it will pay for it.”
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps said 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.
Mapped: Where has Israel fired missiles around the Middle East?
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UK Foreign Secretary warns against ‘cycle of escalation’ as he condemned missile attack
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has warned against a "cycle of escalation" as he condemned the missile attack on Israel.
He said: "I condemn Iran's attack on Israel in the strongest terms.
"Today I warned Iran against taking action that could push the region further towards the brink. A cycle of escalation is in no-one's interest."
EU condemns Iran’s attack on Israel and urges regional ceasefire
The European Union on Tuesday condemned "in the strongest terms" an Iranian ballistic missile attack on Israel and called for an immediate ceasefire across the Middle East.
"The dangerous cycle of attacks and retaliation risks ... spiralling out of control," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell posted on X. "An immediate ceasefire across the region is needed."
Starmer would not be drawn on any British military involvement in defence of Israel
The UK Prime Minister would not be drawn on any British military involvement in the defence of Israel.
"This, as you will appreciate, is an evolving situation but what I will say is that we stand with Israel and her right to self-defence and any relevant updates will be provided in due course," he told reporters.
Sir Keir Starmer said his diplomatic efforts had been focused on the need to find a political solution.
"We have to find a route to de-escalate on all fronts. And in the end, the only solution here is a political solution. So my calls have been about the importance of creating space and the conditions for that de-escalation and to find that political route forward."
He said with Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu he "was able to make the case for a ceasefire in Gaza, and importantly, to repeat that the hostages must be released unconditionally and immediately, because we must never lose sight of the hostages who have been held for such a long time now".
Asked whether he was calling for restraint in Israel's response to Iran, he said: "My message, very clearly, tonight is to condemn this attack by Iran, to recognise in clear terms Israel's right to security and to defend herself, and I say that in absolutely clear terms. Obviously, I think, all parties are concerned to ensure this doesn't spiral into a much bigger conflict. But on the principle of Israel's right to self-defence, I've been very, very clear."
Starmer warns he is ‘deeply concerned region is on the brink’
Sir Keir Starmer has warned he is “deeply concerned that the region is on the brink”.
In a televised address from Downing Street, the UK Prime Minister also said that Britain stands with Israel.
Iran calls on UN to prevent further escalation in Middle East tensions, foreign ministry statement says
Iran's foreign ministry called on the United Nations Security Council to take "meaningful action" to prevent threats against regional peace and security, after Tehran launched a salvo of missiles on Tuesday against Israel in retaliation for the killing of several leaders of Iran-aligned armed groups.
Starmer condemns Iran’s missile attack and vows to protect Israel
Sir Keir Starmer “condemned Iran’s attack on Israel in the strongest terms” after speaking to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday night, a Downing Street spokesperson has said.
The attack on Israel “began during the leader’s conversation,” the spokesperson said. In the same call, Sir Keir also “underlined the importance of a ceasefire in Lebanon”.
Iran said it fired dozens of missiles into Israel on Tuesday.
Caitlin Doherty reports:
Starmer condemns Iran’s missile attack and vows to protect Israel
Sir Keir Starmer was speaking to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when Iran launched its missile attack on Tuesday night
Iran says they used hypersonic ‘fattah’ missile ‘for first time’ in attack, reports state TV
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have said they used hypersonic ‘fattah’ missiles “for the first time” in its missile attack on Israel on Tuesday, Iranian state TV has reported.
In a statement, they also updated the number of successful targets they claimed to have hit in Israel to 90 per cent.
Jordan reopens airspace, state news agency says
Jordan reopened its airspace on Tuesday following a salvo of Iranian ballistic missiles fired towards neighbouring Israel, the Jordanian state news agency reported.
Iran did not give US prior notice of Israel attack, says Iran's UN mission
Iran did not give the United States prior notice of its attack on Israel on Tuesday, Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York said.
"No notice was given to the United States prior to our response; however, a serious warning was issued afterwards," the Iranian mission said in a statement.
Iran’s ballistic missile attack appears to have been defeated, says US National Security adviser
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday that Iran's attack on Israel appeared to have been defeated, although President Biden's administration was still monitoring a "fluid" situation.
Sullivan said the administration was tracking the reported death of a Palestinian civilian in the West Bank.
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