Iran says attacks on Israel are over as concerns grow about conflict escalating Written by: Reuters

Written by Steven Scheer, Parisa Hafezi, and Timour Azhari

[JERUSALEM/BEIRUT]Iran said Wednesday it had ended its missile attacks on Israel, its biggest military attack on the Jewish state, barring further provocations, while Israel and the United States retaliated against Tehran amid fears of escalating the war. And that promise was enhanced.

Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continued on Wednesday, despite calls for a ceasefire from the United Nations, the United States and the European Union.

Israel resumed shelling on the southern outskirts of Beirut, a stronghold of the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah, and conducted at least a dozen airstrikes against targeted facilities belonging to the group.

Large plumes of smoke were seen billowing from some parts of the suburb. Israel has issued new evacuation orders for the largely unpopulated area after days of heavy attacks.

Hezbollah said it confronted Israeli forces that had entered the Lebanese town of Addaise early Wednesday morning and forced them to withdraw.

Iran described Tuesday’s attack on Israel as defensive and aimed solely at military facilities. Iran’s state news agency said three Israeli military bases were targeted.

The Iranian government said the attack was a response to Israel’s killing of militant leaders and attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon and Gaza.

“Our action ends unless the Israeli regime decides to invite further retaliation,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arakchi said in a post on X early Wednesday morning. “In that scenario, our response will be stronger And it’s going to be powerful.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to fight back. “Iran made a big mistake tonight, and it will definitely pay the price,” he said at the beginning of an emergency political and security cabinet meeting late Tuesday, according to the statement.

The U.S. government said it would work with long-time ally Israel to ensure Iran faces “grave consequences” for Tuesday’s attack. Israel said more than 180 ballistic missiles were used in the attack.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Israeli Defense Minister Yov Gallant late Tuesday and said the U.S. has a “good posture” to protect its interests in the Middle East, according to a Pentagon statement. .

“The Minister and I expressed our mutual appreciation for Israel’s coordinated defense against the approximately 200 ballistic missiles launched by Iran and pledged to maintain close contact,” Austin wrote in a post on X. Separately stated.

According to the Pentagon, U.S. Navy warships fired about a dozen interceptors at Iranian missiles heading toward Israel. Britain said its forces had played a role in “attempting to prevent further escalation in the Middle East” but did not elaborate.

The Pentagon said Tuesday’s Iranian airstrike was about twice the size of Iran’s attack on Israel in April.

“The reaction will be painful.”

Israeli Major General Daniel Hagari on Tuesday activated air defenses against Iranian artillery fire, saying in an And it’s dangerous,” he added. escalation. “

Iran’s military used hypersonic Fattah missiles for the first time on Tuesday, with 90% of the missiles hitting Israeli targets, the Revolutionary Guards said.

Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff said in a statement to state media that any Israeli response would be met with “massive destruction” of Israeli infrastructure.

It also said it would target regional assets of the Israeli allies involved.

While the conflict in the Gaza Strip marks one year since the start of the conflict, Iran and the United States have strengthened their grip on the region following an escalation of Israeli attacks on Lebanon over the past two weeks, including the launch of a ground operation in Lebanon on Monday. There are growing fears that the country will become embroiled in war.

US President Joe Biden expressed America’s full support for Israel and called attacks on Iran “ineffective.” Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris supported Biden’s position and said the United States would not hesitate to protect its interests from Iran.

“We will act. Iran will soon feel the consequences of its actions. The response will be painful,” Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon told reporters.

The White House similarly promised “serious consequences” for Iran, with press secretary Jake Sullivan telling a Washington briefing that the United States “will work with Israel to do so.”

Sullivan did not say what those results would be.

French President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement that he strongly condemns Iran’s new attack on Israel, adding that as a sign of its commitment to Israel’s security, France mobilized military resources to the Middle East on Wednesday.

The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to meet on Wednesday on the Middle East conflict, and the European Union has called for an immediate ceasefire.

Nearly a year of cross-border fighting has left around 1,900 people dead and more than 9,000 injured in Lebanon, most of them in the past two weeks, according to Lebanese government figures.