Iran on Sunday evening launched a wave of ballistic missiles at Israel, violating the ceasefire agreed in April.
The incoming missiles triggered air raid sirens across northern Israel. “This fresh wave of missile attacks is spread across all of Israel, stretching from Haifa to the The IDF has identified recently launched missiles from Iran toward northern Israel, stretching from Haifa to the Golan Heights, and as far south as Hadera,” Israel’s i24NEWS reported.
The Israeli air defense appears to have intercepted the initial strike. “The Israel Air Force says it has intercepted ‘all the missiles launched from Iran so far,'” the BBC reported. “It adds that ‘additional launches’ have been identified and Israel’s military is ‘continuously detecting and intercepting threats’.”
Media reports suggest that President Donald Trump has urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refrain from retaliating against the Iranian strikes.
Talking to D.C.-based correspondent of Israel’s Channel 12, Barak Ravid, President Trump said that he will be calling the Israeli prime minister and “tell him not to retaliate,” The Times of Israel reports:
US President Donald Trump says he is going to call Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “right now” to tell him not to hit back at Iran following tonight’s missile attacks from Tehran on northern Israel.Speaking to Channel 12’s Barak Ravid, Trump says: “The Iranian strikes didn’t hurt anybody. Hopefully, Israel is not going to retaliate. If Bibi strikes them back, it’s just gonna keep going like the last 47 years, or the last 3,000 years.”Trump adds: “We are very close to a final deal with Iran. It is going to be a good deal. I don’t want it to blow up because of what is happening now.”“I am going to call Bibi right now and tell him not to retaliate,” Trump adds. “Each of them had their fun. Israel had its strike and Iran had its strike. We don’t need another one.”“I don’t want to see an additional attack tonight,” Trump reportedly adds.
Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is gearing up for the military conflict, with Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir “approving plans for the future,” IDF Spokesman, Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, said shortly after the first Iranian salvo.
“The Iranian terror regime made a grave mistake,” he warned.
Faced with renewed Iranian aggression, Israel is bracing for an escalation. “Home Front Command updated its defensive policy and tightened restrictions nationwide. Schools across Israel will be closed Monday, public gatherings will be limited and beaches will be closed to the public,” Israel’s Ynetnews reported.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) vowed to sustain the aerial attack, saying that “this operation is not a passing event, but rather the beginning of a full week of continuous strikes.”
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