Iran Launches Hundreds of Missiles at Israel in Largest Direct Attack to Date

Iran Launches Hundreds of Missiles at Israel in Largest Direct Attack to Date

Benjamin Barry

Staff Writer 

On Tuesday, October 1, Iran launched around 200 missiles at Israel, the most recent escalation in the Middle Eastern conflict, according to initial reports by the Jerusalem Post. Israel’s defense system was largely successful in alleviating most of the attacks;, yet, some missiles snuck by hitting schools, homes, electrical infrastructure, malls, restaurants, and more. 

The attack comes after Israel eliminated Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the terrorist group Hezbollah, in a tactical air strike on Saturday, September 28. According to the BBC, Nasrallah had incredibly close ties to Iran, due to them funding Hezbollah in Lebanon and developing them as a group to gain influence in the region. Today, Hezbollah’s military wing is stronger than Lebanon’s army and controls much of the nation’s politics. The group was founded in 1985, calling for the destruction of the state of Israel with harsh antisemitic sentiments. 

The Telegraph reports that there has only been one death so far. Sameh Asli, 37 years old, was killed by a fallen piece of shrapnel from the rockets. While there was only one death thanks to Israel’s highly advanced missile defense system, there were also several injuries in Tel Aviv, according to the New York Times. This attack is not the first of its kind, with Iran launching hundreds of missiles back on April 13 of this year. April’s assault, though, was not as overwhelming as the most recent missile barrage.

The United States’ involvement in the region has been incredibly controversial, with many believing they should stay entirely out of it. Regardless, the Pentagon’s press secretary revealed in a press briefing by the Department of Defense that the two American Navy destroyers, the USS Bulkley and the USS Cole, aided Israel in shooting down the Iranian missiles. Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder also states that during a phone call between U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, Secretary Austin, “reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad commitment to the defense of Israel.” 

The attack by Iran also reaffirms its deep relationship with Hezbollah, as well as other terrorist groups in the region such as the Palestinian group Hamas and the Yemeni group the Houthis. These three groups, along with Iran, share a similar goal: to eradicate the state of Israel and kill Jews and Israelis worldwide, reports the Anti-Defamation League. Much of this hatred stems from their belief that Israel has encroached on ‘their’ land in the Middle East, despite Israelis and Jews having lived in the Levant region for thousands of years. 

Israel has experienced an unprecedented amount of attacks in a short time frame of around a year, from its southern border with Gaza, the northern border with Lebanon, air strikes from Iran, and even terrorists in the West Bank. Due to this, many Israelis have been displaced and forced to flee their homes due to fighting. According to the New York Post, over 60,000 Israelis in the North near Lebanon have had to flee their homes, as well as countless Israelis in the South near Gaza.

Many displaced people are currently in temporary housing or have evacuated from their country entirely, to places such as New York City. Karin Katanov, a refugee from a Kibbutz near Gaza, told the New York Post in an interview that she feels guilty for not being able to serve in the Israeli Defense Forces, as most Israelis over 18 are required to enlist. She reflects on her upbringing and how the IDF has protected her, as her village has been under rocket fire from Hamas since 2005. Her story is incredibly similar to many others, with many Israelis also wanting to return home. , Unfortunately, much of Israel remains unsafe at the moment, including main cities such as Tel Aviv and Haifa receiving air sirens from both attacks from Hezbollah and the recent missiles from Iran.

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