Israel Lebanon conflict/ Tira attack Hezbollah/ Iran Israel response/ Israel Hezbollah tensions/ Middle East conflict update/ Newslooks/ JERUSALEM/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ An early-morning missile attack on Tira, central Israel, injured 11 people on Saturday, following recent escalations between Israel, Hezbollah, and Iran. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned of further retaliation after Israeli airstrikes last week, raising fears of a broader regional conflict.
Central Israel Hit by Missile Attack as Iran Vows Retaliation: Quick Looks
- Location: Attack on Tira, central Israel, injures 11 from shrapnel and glass.
- Hezbollah’s Claim: Responsibility for targeting Israel’s military bases with missiles and drones.
- Iran’s Response: Ayatollah Khamenei warns of a “crushing response” to U.S. and Israeli actions.
- Lebanon Impact: Israeli strikes have killed thousands and displaced millions in Lebanon.
- Gaza Update: Israel intensifies its Gaza operations; concerns grow over civilian conditions.
Missiles from Lebanon Hit Central Israel, 11 Injured
Deep Look
A missile strike in Tira, a central Israeli town, injured 11 people early Saturday amid rising regional tensions, as Iran threatened a “crushing response” to recent Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets. The predawn attack, which followed sirens sounding across central Israel, marked one of several rocket barrages launched from Lebanon, where Iran-backed Hezbollah has increased operations against Israeli forces.
Emergency responders from Magen David Adom reported that 11 people were hurt by shrapnel and debris in the Tira attack, which involved a direct hit on a residential building. Three people sustained moderate injuries, with the remainder experiencing minor wounds. Video footage from the scene showed significant damage to the building’s top floor and surrounding vehicles.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack on Tira, as well as missile and drone strikes against Israel’s military infrastructure, including the Unit 8200 base in Glilot and the Palmachim Air Base near Tel Aviv. The group, which often acts on behalf of Iranian interests in the region, stated that the attacks were in retaliation for what it termed “massacres” committed by Israel. However, the Israeli military has not confirmed if these military facilities were actually hit.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, warned of impending retaliation, specifically targeting the U.S. and Israel over what he described as aggressive actions toward Iran and its allies. Khamenei’s statement was broadcast via Iranian state media, where he emphasized that Israel and its allies would “receive a crushing response” for their actions.
This year alone, Iran has launched two direct attacks against Israel, escalating tensions that have already drawn the broader Middle East into a precarious situation. Israel’s engagement with Hezbollah along its northern border has left Hezbollah’s forces weakened, but it has also wreaked havoc in southern Lebanon, displacing over a million people and causing widespread destruction in the area.
The recent missile and drone strikes follow a violent week in Lebanon, where Israel conducted dozens of airstrikes across northeastern villages on Friday. The Lebanese Health Ministry reported that these strikes killed at least 52 people and injured many more. Lebanon’s Health Ministry estimates that, since the conflict began in 2023, over 2,897 Lebanese citizens have been killed, and 13,150 others injured. According to U.N. agencies, Israel’s operations in Lebanon have forced 1.4 million people to abandon their homes.
The impact of the conflict extends into Israel’s northern communities as well. Approximately 60,000 Israeli citizens living near the Lebanese border have also been displaced by ongoing hostilities, which have kept the region unstable for more than a year.
While Israeli forces have ramped up efforts to target remaining Hamas fighters in Gaza, concerns over the humanitarian situation in the enclave are mounting. According to the World Health Organization, health services in Gaza remain severely disrupted. Plans to restart the polio vaccination program are set to proceed only in Gaza City due to restricted access in northern areas under Israeli siege.
The current Gaza conflict has resulted in over 43,000 Palestinian casualties since Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed roughly 1,200 Israelis and led to the capture of around 250 hostages who were taken back to Gaza. Health officials in Gaza report that more than half of those killed in the enclave are women and children, though they do not distinguish between civilian and combatant deaths in their statistics.
The intensified exchange of fire between Israel, Hezbollah, and other actors backed by Iran continues to raise the stakes in the region. As Iran issues new threats and the conflict expands, international observers remain deeply concerned about the potential for an all-out regional conflict that could draw in other nations and further destabilize the Middle East.
