Details have emerged regarding the massive missile attack launched by Iran on Israel, with the Pentagon confirming that around 200 missiles were fired, the majority of them being ballistic. These types of missiles, due to their high speed and steep trajectory, are more difficult to intercept, making the attack particularly dangerous.
This latest assault involved twice the number of ballistic missiles compared to Iran’s April strike, which saw approximately 300 weapons, including drones, cruise missiles, and some ballistic missiles, launched at Israel. During that attack, nearly 99% of the missiles were reportedly intercepted with minimal damage.
In yesterday’s attack, US and UK forces played a key role in defending against the barrage. Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder confirmed that two warships deployed around a dozen interceptors—defensive missiles—targeting the incoming ballistic missiles. “You don’t launch that many missiles at a target without the intent of hitting something,” Maj Gen Ryder commented, emphasizing the scale of the threat.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ordered the missile strike, according to a senior Iranian official speaking to Reuters. Despite the escalating violence, Khamenei addressed a group of elites in Tehran today, accusing the US and some European nations of fueling the regional conflicts. He called for these foreign powers to “get lost” from the region, arguing that their absence would lead to peace.
Khamenei also expressed sorrow over the reported death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, describing Iran’s mourning as a “reviving and driving” force, though he did not postpone his meeting with the elites.
