Iran's missiles leave 30-feet deep, 50-feet wide crater outside Mossad HQ | Watch
A senior Iranian official told Reuters the missile launches were ordered by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In a major counter-offensive against Israel, reportedly in retaliation against Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah's killing, Iran on Tuesday fired a barrage of ballistic missiles on two of its key military bases and Israel’s intelligence service headquarters, Mossad leaving behind huge craters outside the centre.
According to local media reports, Iran fired around 200 ballistic missiles, which left 30 feet deep and 50 feet wide crater located around 1,500 meters away from the Mossad head office. The video displaying the craters and debris outside Mossad’s headquarters went viral on social media.
Chief of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Mohammad Bagheri told a local media outlet that two of Israel's military bases – the Nevatim air base and the Netzarim military facility, and the Tel Nof intelligence unit, were hit late on Tuesday night. The Islamic country called the attack ‘Operation True Promise II’.
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A senior Iranian official told Reuters the missile launches were ordered by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran's forces used hypersonic Fattah missiles for the first time, and 90% of its missiles successfully hit their targets in Israel, Reuters reported quoting the Revolutionary Guards.
Israel Vows Retaliation Against Iran's Strike
Soon after the missile attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that Iran would have to pay a heavy price for its offensive against Israel adding that most missiles were intercepted by the country's robust rocket dome systems.
Also read: Is this beginning of World War 3? What Iran’s attack on Israel means for the region
Alarms were sounded across Israel after explosions were heard in Jerusalem and the Jordan River valley prompting Israelis to pile into bomb shelters.
US Backs Israel After Iran's Airstrike
After the direct missile attack by Iran, the United States reiterated its ironclad support to longtime ally Israel calling it a direct provocation by Tehran in Israel's war against Hamas.
Also read: Israel warns of 'serious consequences' after Iran fires 200 missiles
After Washington's open support, Israel's fear that Iran and the US would be drawn into a regional war in the Middle East has mounted.