US President Joe Biden instructed the US military to intercept and shoot down Iranian ballistic missiles aimed at Israel, the White House confirmed on Tuesday, following Iran’s missile barrage on the country, according to Anadolu Agency.
In a statement, the White House said that Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were closely monitoring the situation from the White House Situation Room, receiving regular updates from the national security team.
Earlier in the day, a senior White House official warned that Iran would face “severe consequences” should the missile attack take place, an alert the US had raised earlier on Tuesday.
Israel’s Army Radio reported that rockets had landed in open areas in Netanya, part of the greater Tel Aviv region, while the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper confirmed explosions had been heard across the district. Air raid sirens blared across the lower and central Galilee, signalling rocket fire.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for the missile attack, which they said was in retaliation for the assassinations of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and IRGC commander Abbas Nilforoshan. Haniyeh was killed in Tehran last month, while Nasrallah and Nilforoshan were assassinated in Beirut last Friday.
The IRGC warned that any Israeli response to the missile barrage would lead to further “crushing attacks,” and emphasised that the offensive was backed by Iran’s army and Ministry of Defence.
Tensions between Tehran and Tel Aviv have escalated sharply since Haniyeh’s assassination in August, which Iran attributed to Israel, vowing retaliation. Iran also condemned the recent airstrike that killed Nasrallah, a key Iranian ally, in southern Beirut.
It remains unclear whether the missiles fired at Israel have caused any damage or casualties.