What did Iran fire?

Tehran deployed ballistic missiles in the attack, which use trajectories outside or near the limits of the Earth’s atmosphere. Earlier this year, the country used similar weapons against Israel.

This time it said it had also deployed hypersonic missiles with an estimated maximum speed of 16,000 km/h.

Why did Iran attack?

Although details about the time and nature of the attack were not known in advance, it was not a surprise.

World powers have been predicting for months a “regional escalation” of Israel’s war on Gaza, which has seen the country kill 40,000 Palestinians. That followed an attack by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023, that killed about 1,200 Israelis. Israel is now fighting accusations of genocide in the world’s highest court.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has now expanded its war into Lebanon, which it is bombing heavily.

Lebanon is home to Iran’s main regional ally Hezbollah, which has fired rockets into northern Israel in response to the bloodshed in Gaza.

Last week, thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies belonging to Hezbollah members exploded across Lebanon, killing dozens of people and injuring thousands of others, including civilians. On Friday, Israel assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. In July, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in the Iranian capital – an attack blamed on Israel.

Israeli attacks have devastated the southern suburbs of Beirut, the capital, as well as villages in the south of the country. At least 1 million people in Lebanon – a fifth of the population – are now displaced.

The US has warned of an escalation, but at the same time supported Israel’s attacks both diplomatically – by pleading its case before international institutions such as the UN – and materially, by sending the country the bombs and weapons it has used to kill thousands of people. kill.

What damage have Iranian missiles caused?

The impact of the damage is still being assessed.

No injuries were reported in Israel, but one person was killed in the occupied West Bank, authorities there said. There are several images of craters in central and southern Israel.

Iran said the attack targeted military installations, but at least one missile hit an Israeli school.

US President Joe Biden described Iran’s attack as “ineffective”.

What will happen now?

Iran has said its attacks are over, although it has more missiles ready to be fired if Israel responds.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tehran had made a “big mistake” and vowed that “it will pay for it.”