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Muhammad Amin
Iran says Wednesday its retaliation for the murder of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh is over, after it fired about 200 missiles, including hypersonic rockets, into Israel overnight amid tensions in the region that are stretched to breaking point.
The US immediately said it “stands by Israel” and both vowed Iran would “pay” for the attack while Israel tried to put on a “brave face” by pummelling civilians in Beirut Wednesday morning, launching at least a dozen air raids on the city.
In a clear warning to the US and other Zionist allies, Iran warned it would target assets of any country that may seek to retaliate aganst what it said was a “legal, rational and legitimate response to the terrorist attacks of the Zionist regime”, The Guardian reports..
Direct hits
It is clear that missiles hit the Nevatim and Hetzarim air bases as well as Mossad’s headquarters in Tel Aviv. The Palestine Chronicle posted a video on X, showing at least eight missiles striking the Nevatim air base.
It said F-15 warplanes used in the Gaza genocide were destroyed at Hetzarim.
Israel claims most rockets were shot down; Teheran said 90% of the missiles hit their targets. The BBC said its correspondent in Israel believed at least some military bases were hit. Missiles were seen flying through the sky over Tel Aviv .
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed 90% of projectiles hit their targets, saying hypersonic missiles were used for the first time. Reports out of Iran said three military bases were targeted.
The IRGC said the attacks were a response to Israel’s murder of Haniyeh, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and IRGC Hezbollah commander Abbas Nilforoshan.
US President Joe Biden stood by Israel and ordered his forces in the region to spring to its defence. The Pentagon said the US Navy shot down “multiple” rockets.
Circling in a spiralling gyre
The European Union urged a ceasefire while The Guardian warned the attack “signals that widely feared reginal conflict has ignited”.
But that may not come to pass. Iran has signalled it’s not intending to escalate and it has honoured such “stand-downs” before. America is signalling it desires a cooling of temperatures, but the Gaza genocide continues and all forces remain braced for action around the Golan.
The Times of Israel reports the Pentagon cautioned that if Iran or groups Tehran backs “use this moment to target American personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take every necessary measure to defend our people.”
The statement offered few clues as to the size or scope of the “necessary measures”, saying only that “we will further reinforce our defensive air-support capabilities in the coming days.”
Benjamin Netanyahu vowed the Iranians would pay, but the attack may deflate some of the euphoria Israelis had gleefully enjoyed following last Friday’s assassination of Nasrallah.
Little evidence of Israel’s invasion of Lebanon is to be seen so far Wednesday, with Hezbollah claiming it had forced the Israelis to retreat.
But the attack does show that Iran is refusing to back away any further. It remains to be seen if that will spur the White House or the Pentagon into taking some actions that will prise away Netanyahu’s so-far unrestraind hand tthat is hrottling the steering wheel in Arabia.
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