Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Wednesday told a group of Iranian elites in Tehran, that the United States and European countries were responsible for the current war in the Middle East.
He said his country’s strikes on Israel amidst increased regional tension and wars were because of “US and some European countries” that “falsely claim they bring peace and tranquillity to the region”.
He said they must “get lost” from the region so that the countries in the region can live in peace.
He said that he is “mourning” over the death of Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah, but did not postpone his meeting with elites because Iran’s mourning is a “reviving and driving” force.
The order to launch missiles at Israel on Tuesday was made by the country’s supreme leader – who remains in a secure location, according to a Reuters news agency report.
Details Emerge on Iran Missile Blitz:
US Say Ballistic Missiles weren’t Easy to Track
Meanwhile, more details have been emerging about Iran’s attack, with information from the Pentagon in the United States, explaining that about 200 missiles were launched from Iran, stating that the majority of them were ballistic, which are more difficult to intercept and defeat because of their high speed and angled trajectory.
Twice as many ballistic missiles were fired yesterday compared to Iran’s April attack when it launched around 300 weapons at Israel – drones, cruise missiles (which are slower and have a flatter trajectory) and some ballistic missiles.
Back then some 99% were said to have been successfully intercepted, with minimal damage.
US forces, as well as the UK, were involved in repelling yesterday’s attack on Israel. Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder said two warships launched around a dozen interceptors – defence missiles – at ballistic targets.
“You don’t launch that many missiles at a target without the intent of hitting something,” said Maj Gen Ryder.
Hezbolla Fire about 100 rockets into northern Israel
Sirens warning of incoming rocket fire have sounded across northern Israel this morning.
The Israel Defense Forces issued alerts to communities around Haifa and Western Galilee, near the Israel-Lebanon border.
As many as 100 rockets have been fired at northern Israel so far today, Israeli media reports, citing the IDF.
Israel Military Warn Lebanese in Dozens of Villages to Leave
The Israel Defense Forces has issued a new warning for people in around 25 southern Lebanese villages to evacuate.
It follows a warning issued yesterday for a similar number of areas – about five of the villages included in the latest message were also included in yesterday’s warning.
The warning from the IDF’s Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee, posted on social media, comes after reports of fighting inside southern Lebanon.
Addressing the affected Lebanese residents, Adraee says the Israeli military does not intend to harm them and they should immediately evacuate to north of the Awali River – which meets the coast about 50km (30 miles) from the border with Israel – to “save your lives”.
…Sends more troops to Lebanon’s ground operation
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) reports that three people were killed in an early morning Israeli air strike on the village of Debel, close to the Israeli border.
It also says one person was killed in an Israeli air strike that targeted a town further north, in West Bekaa.
Also, the Lebanese Civil Defense says that since 20:00 last night (22:00 BST) it has recovered four bodies from the southern suburbs of Beirut, rescuing almost 40 injured people.
As we’ve been reporting, Israel announced a ground invasion on southern Lebanon on Tuesday – and details from the ground remain limited.
But in a recent update, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), says “additional forces” are joining “the limited, localized, targeted raids on Hezbollah targets” in southern Lebanon.
They will join the ground operation and will be drawn from the 36th Division and other forces, the IDF says.
Earlier, Hezbollah said that it repelled an Israeli ground attack in a southern Lebanon border village on Wednesday, but the Israeli military has not commented.
