IRAN launched 180 missiles at Israel in a revenge rocket blitz amid fears of an all-out war.
Explosions could be heard in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv tonight as the barrages were shot down by Israeli air defences.
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Air raid sirens blared across the country as Israelis took cover in their homes, under bridges, and in bomb shelters.
Orange streaks of flames could be seen in the sky as Iran said it was taking revenge for the assassinations of the leaders of its proxies Hezbollah and Hamas.
Initial reports suggested the vast majority of the incoming rockets were intercepted but a small number did hit the ground.
The IDF said it is not clear if there are any injuries yet, with local media saying two were lightly injured.
Early warning systems detected the launches and skies above Israel began lighting up within minutes.
Red tracers from Iron Dome and David’s Sling interceptions were seen blasting the incoming munitions sending white flaming debris crashing earthwards.
US President Joe Biden and VP Kamala Harris monitored the attack from the Situation Room and ordered the US military to aid Israel and shoot down the rockets.
Footage also showed the rockets flying over Jordan’s capital Amman tonight.
Iran vowed Israel would face “crushing attacks” if it responded to the strike.
It comes as…
By 6.30pm UK time, the IDF said Israelis could leave shelters as there were no more threats it detected.
Israel earlier today alerted the public to the likelihood of a blitz from the Islamic Republic.
A senior White House official said the US was actively supporting Israeli defensive preparations.
They threatened: “A direct military attack from Iran against Israel will carry severe consequences for Iran.”
Iran informed “international parties” of the size and timing of its attack, a US Defence Department official said.
The strike comes after the IDF announced it had assassinated the head of Hezbollah’s weapon transfers from Iran.
It comes as Israel launched its ground offensive Operation “Northern Arrows” targeting Hezbollah strongholds following waves of devastating airstrikes.
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Iran attacked Israel with missiles in April after Tel Aviv bombed the country’s embassy in Damascus.
Iran launched more than 320 missiles and drones at Israel but virtually all were intercepted by Israel’s air defences along with British, US, French and Jordanian fighter jets.
When that attack was launched, ballistic missiles took 12 minutes to reach Israel, cruise missiles two hours and drones around nine hours to reach their targets.
Israel responded with a single precision strike on an Iranian anti-aircraft site with tensions then de-escalating.
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Heavy fighting continued to rage in southern Lebanon today as 25,000 Israeli troops stepped up their ground war to smash Hezbollah rocket sites.
Israeli commanders said the invasion would be “limited, localised and targeted” and would not involve an occupation.
But clashes intensified through the night with Hezbollah launching rocket and artillery barrages toward Israeli troops massing on the border.
Terror troops responded to the onslaught by launching early hours rocket and artillery barrages against the border town of Metula inside Israel.
Hezbollah also said it targeted Mossad’s headquarters in Glilot near Tel Aviv.
Hezbollah’s decade of destructive preperation
By Foreign News Reporter Juliana Cruz Lima
Following the 2006 Lebanon War, in which Israel and Hezbollah fought to a bloody standstill, the terror group began preparing for the next conflict.
They constructed a vast underground network across southern Lebanon.
The lessons of that war, in which Hezbollah’s small, mobile units were able to surprise and sometimes overpower Israeli forces, have been embedded in its military doctrine ever since.
The tunnels are now a key part of this strategy, allowing Hezbollah to replicate the tactics of insurgencies around the world: strike fast, disappear, and use the enemy’s size and strength against them.
Some of these tunnels have been found stretching into Israeli territory, designed to facilitate surprise raids deep inside northern Israel.
In 2018, the IDF launched Operation Northern Shield, a months-long mission to detect and destroy Hezbollah’s cross-border tunnels.
The discovery of these tunnels — some reinforced with concrete and running dozens of meters underground — revealed just how advanced Hezbollah’s capabilities had become.
Last month, Hezbollah revealed its hidden terror tunnel network from which missiles can be launched in a chilling threat to Israel.
A blood-curdling video released by the Lebanese terrorists revealed a giant underground roads with enough room for lorries to transport their deadly weapons.
Posters of leaders and soldiers adorn the tall stone walls as heavily armed men speed through the “missile city” in motorbikes.
Trucks loaded with enormous missiles make their way through the dark roads in a frightening glimpse of the terrorists’ arsenal.
Drone footage then shows the seemingly endless terror maze, which also appears to be home to military tech and computers.
Inside the terror tunnels, Hezbollah fighters can move unseen, store weapons, and launch ambushes, creating a dangerous cat-and-mouse game with the IDF.
They can also move into a much larger network of bunkers, missile silos, and command centres, deeply embedded in civilian areas.
These tunnels – which can stretch for miles – link critical positions, allowing Hezbollah fighters to emerge, strike, and then vanish back underground before Israel can respond.
Reports also suggest that Hezbollah has been expanding its tunnel network in southern Lebanon in recent weeks.
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