On October 1, 2024, Iran launched approximately 180 ballistic missiles targeting Israel, significantly more than the 120 missiles fired in April 2024. The latest attack focused on central Israel, a densely populated region between Rehovot, south of Tel Aviv, and Herzliya, north of Tel Aviv.
Some missiles also targeted southern Israeli airbases, including Nevatim and Hatzerim, in an attempt to overwhelm Israel’s Arrow missile defense system. The strategy appeared to aim for maximum saturation of Israeli air defenses, forcing the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to intercept all projectiles headed toward populated areas.
Read: Florida Sen. Rick Scott: U.S. Must Hold Iran Accountable For Attacks On Israel
The IDF, along with its allies, successfully intercepted the majority of the missiles, according to IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari. He reported that some missiles did land in central and southern Israel, but the defense system mitigated most of the damage.
U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan described the attack as “defeated and ineffective,” with assistance from U.S. destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, including the USS Arleigh Burke, USS Cole, and USS Bulkeley, contributing to the missile interceptions. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), however, claimed that 90 percent of their missiles hit their targets, though they provided no evidence.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed retaliation, stating that Iran “made a big mistake and will pay.” IDF Spokesperson Hagari confirmed that Israel is prepared to respond at a time and place of its choosing. Israel has a history of striking back, as demonstrated in April 2024, when it launched airstrikes on an Iranian airbase in Esfahan following an Iranian drone and missile attack. The IRGC warned on October 1 that further attacks on Israel would follow if Iran faced retaliation.
Read: $20 Million Reward: Iranian IRGC Member Shahram Poursafi Wanted For John Bolton Murder-For-Hire Plot
Meanwhile, the IDF began the initial phase of a ground operation in southern Lebanon on October 1. The 98th Division initiated “focused activity” in the region, with special operations, paratrooper, and armored brigades preparing for the operation. These forces had previously fought in Gaza under the 98th Division. The Israeli security cabinet approved the operation on September 30, marking a “targeted ground entry” into Lebanon.
The IDF did not disclose specific details on where the 98th Division began operations. However, Israeli forces have been staging sporadic raids into southern Lebanon without remaining on the ground, according to Lebanese sources. Artillery units from Israel have been bombarding towns along the border, including Kafr Kila and Khiam, providing indirect fire support.
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