Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Iran, which launched a massive ballistic missile attack on Israeli territory on Tuesday night, "made a big mistake and will pay for it," UNN reports citing the BBC.
Iran made a big mistake tonight - and it will pay for it. The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and take revenge on our enemies. We will stick to the rule we have established: whoever attacks us, we will attack them
Israeli Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari also said that Tehran's actions would have serious consequences. According to him, Israeli and American air defense systems have effectively countered missiles launched from Iran.
ЦАХАЛ: Ізраїль продовжить завдавати ударів після атаки Ірану01.10.24, 22:06
A few hours after the Iranian shelling, the Israeli military launched new strikes on Hezbollah targets on the southern outskirts of Beirut. Before that, the Israeli Defense Forces warned local residents to evacuate.
Ізраїль завдав авіаударів по Бейруту у відповідь на атаку Ірану02.10.24, 06:09
US President Joe Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan called Iran's strikes a "significant escalation" and said that Tehran had launched about 200 ballistic missiles in total (later this figure was announced by Iranian state television).
Sullivan refused to comment on the possibility of retaliatory measures by Israel or the United States, but confirmed that American destroyers had helped Israel shoot down Iranian missiles.
According to Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder, two U.S. Navy destroyers stationed in the Mediterranean participated in the repulse of the attack.
According to the U.S. military, Tuesday's strikes were "twice as large" as the first Iranian attack on Israel in April of this year.
US President Joe Biden said that Washington fully supports Israel.
According to Biden, on his direct instructions, the US military "actively supported Israel's defense" during the strike.
He also added that the Iranian attack was repelled and proved ineffective.
Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris said she watched the attack in real time from the White House with Biden.
She said that she fully supported Biden's decision to order U.S. ships to shoot down rockets aimed at Israel.
On Wednesday night, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin wrote on social media site X that Washington remains committed to reaching a diplomatic settlement, but is ready to defend Israel from Iranian aggression if necessary.
The Iranian authorities claim that they have only struck military targets in Israel and do not want a full-scale war, but are ready to defend their right to self-defense.
Earlier, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that the strikes on Israel were a response to the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, as well as the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as a result of a strike on Beirut last Saturday.
The IRGC warned that in case of retaliation, Israel "will face even more devastating attacks".
Iranian President Massoud Peseshkian wrote on social network X that the purpose of the strike was to show Israel that Iran was ready to defend its interests and its citizens.
According to him, Iran showed only a fraction of its capabilities on Tuesday and warned the Israeli authorities against further escalation.
Late on Tuesday night, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi wrote on social network X that the Iranian operation was over and said that in case of retaliation by Israel, Tehran's response would be "stronger and more powerful.