Iran Responds to Israel’s Crippling Attack With Missile Salvo
Iran fired hundreds of missiles in retaliation for Israel’s airstrikes that targeted Tehran’s military and nuclear infrastructure, broadening a conflict that threatens to engulf the region and roil global markets.
Israel said it identified missiles launched from the Islamic Republic and reported explosions from interceptions and falling debris from incoming projectiles. An Israeli official said US forces are helping to intercept the Iranian missiles.
The Iranian attack, which Tehran said entailed hundreds of ballistic missiles, is the most forceful step yet by Tehran since Israel’s overnight raids killed top Iranian generals and badly damaged key military infrastructure.
While it’s unclear if Israel’s air defenses have been pierced, markets took another hit from the surge in tensions. US stocks fell to new session lows, oil prices extended their gains above 7%, while the US dollar and gold rose.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed to “act forcefully” in a pre-recorded video message carried by state TV. The head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami, and the military’s chief of staff, Mohammad Bagheri, were both killed in Israeli strikes, according to Iranian media. At least two other senior IRGC members also died.
Israel “should not think that it is over. We won’t allow them to escape unscathed from this great crime they have committed,” Khamenei said.
Khamenei’s statement was released after Iran started its retaliation strike on Israel.
The latest escalation came amid indirect nuclear talks between the Islamic Republic and the US, with a sixth round of negotiations scheduled to take place on Sunday.
US President Donald Trump earlier urged Iran to accept a deal with Washington to avoid further attacks by Israel, which he said could be far worse than Friday’s opening act. Iranian media said at least 95 people were wounded in that volley and that several residential buildings in the capital’s suburbs were hit. Iran hasn’t yet released an official death toll.
Tehran must make a deal “before it is too late,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social after Israel’s attacks.
The US has said it did not play a role in Israel’s initial volley, and warned Iran against retaliation against American servicemembers. The US role assisting Israel’s aerial defense is customary; Washington helped Israel intercept Iranian missiles during an attack last year.
Earlier Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed his campaign “will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat.” Israel’s UN ambassador said it was possible that the operation takes weeks.
Source : Bloomberg
