The United States and Israel said they were working together to ensure Iran faces a harsh comeuppance for its attack on the Jewish state with some 200 ballistic missiles on Tuesday, in an unprecedented salvo the US helped fend off.
“Iran made a big mistake tonight, and it will pay for it,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a Hebrew language video statement, saying that its missile attack on the Jewish state had failed.
"The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our resolve to retaliate against our enemies ... They will understand. We will stand by the principle we have set: Whoever attacks us, we will attack them."
Earlier in the day, air raid sirens sounded across the length and breadth of Israel shortly after the US announced it had informed Israel of indications that Iran was prepared to launch the attack imminently
Israel briefly closed its air space has missile defense systems lit up the night skies over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem but some other unverified images from social media appeared to show projectiles slamming into the ground in Israel.
The United States said it was working with Israel on meting out a response.
"We will consult with the Israelis on next steps in terms of the response", US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said, saying that US naval destroyers helped counter the incoming fire.
"We have made clear that there will be consequences, severe consequences for this attack, and we will work with Israel to make that the case," adding that the attack was "defeated and ineffective".
The Israeli military put the number of incoming Iranian missiles at around 200.
Local news reports indicated a Palestinian in the Jericho area of the Israeli-occupied West Bank was killed after the Israel military said it had no immediate indications of any injuries or deaths.
US Vice President and Democratic Presidential hopeful warned Iran or its armed allies against attacking US forces in the region.
"I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist militias," Harris told reporters. "We will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend US forces and interests against Iran and Iran backed terrorists".
"Legal, rational, and legitimate"
Iran described the assault as a legitimate response to Israeli attacks on its citizens and interests.
"Iran’s legal, rational, and legitimate response to the terrorist acts of the Zionist regime—which involved targeting Iranian nationals and interests and infringing upon the national sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran—has been duly carried out," Iran's mission to the United Nations said in a post on X.
"Should the Zionist regime dare to respond or commit further acts of malevolence, a subsequent and crushing response will ensue. Regional states and the Zionists’ supporters are advised to part ways with the regime."
In the run-up to the attack, US Central Command, the military grouping responsible for the Middle East, announced that three more aircraft squadrons including F-15, F-16, and A-10 war planes were arriving in the region and that one has already arrived.
Oil prices jumped nearly $6 dollars from session lows to top $72 a barrel before settling in later trading, in a sign of trepidation about the key oil transit way through the Strait of Hormuz straddling Iran.
Israel launched what it called a limited ground incursion into Lebanon on Monday which it said aims to dislodge Hezbollah from border villages firing rockets at Northern Israeli communities.
Israel has for two weeks been landing increasingly devastating blows against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, killing its leader Hassan Nasrallah in aerial bombardment on Beirut on Friday.
The attacks have killed up to a 1,000 people including many civilians but also much of Hezbollah's senior leadership and rank and file fighters.
A top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an explosion Tehran in July in an assassination widely blamed on Israel.
Iran in April launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel in its first direct attack on Israeli territory in retaliation for an Israeli air strike on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Damascus.
The United States, Western and Arab powers helped Israel fend off that attack.
Iran and its armed allies throughout the region have been confronting Israel since Palestinian Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7.
