Nearly 200 missiles were fired on Tuesday night, in a move that officials had expected, according to Israel’s army radio.
The attack represents a major escalation in the Middle East war and is revenge for Israel’s campaign against the Hezbollah group in Lebanon.
International leaders, such as Sir Keir Starmer, have already denounced Iran’s conduct, and the United States has claimed that it assisted ally Israel in defending itself.
After an Iranian ballistic missile attack on Israel was declared “imminent” by a US official on Tuesday afternoon, sirens across the nation began to sound a few hours later, just after 5.30 p.m. UK time.
Explosions that shook windows were heard in Tel Aviv and the surrounding area of Jerusalem, but at first it was unclear if the noise was caused by missiles falling, being intercepted by Israeli defenses, or both.
Earlier, orders to take cover had been transmitted to Israelis’ cell phones and aired on national television, advising them to seek protection. The Israeli military stated all residents were in bomb shelters as the missiles were fired.
The army of Jordan urged its own civilians to stay inside their houses for their safety after witnesses reported to Reuters that they observed scores of missiles flying over central Jordan.
