NEWS
“The US Department of Defense says US navy destroyers positioned in the Middle East region fired about a dozen interceptor weapons against the barrage of missiles that were fired from Iran into Israel earlier today.
Pentagon spokesperson Maj Gen Patrick Ryder told reporters that no other US military assets were used to shoot down the missiles, which were all fired from inside Iran, Reuters reports.
An unnamed US official had earlier said that the US would support Israel in its defensive capabilities against any incoming rockets, just prior to Iran launching missiles against the Jewish state.
The Pentagon also said it was not aware of any warning by Iran prior to the missile barrage earlier, signaling, perhaps, that prior apparent knowledge of an “imminent attack” came from US/allied intelligence.
It called Iran’s attack on Israel “significant”.”
US security adviser says Biden administration is monitoring ‘fluid’ situation
The United States national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said on Tuesday that Iran’s attack on Israel appeared to have been defeated, although Biden’s administration was still monitoring a “fluid” situation.
Sullivan said the administration was tracking the reported death of a Palestinian civilian in the West Bank, Reuters reports.
Sullivan was talking at the daily media briefing at the White House in Washington DC.Hamas praises Iranian missile strikes avenging deaths of militant leaders
Hamas has praised the Iranian missile strikes on Israel that Iran said were launched to avenge the deaths of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and Iranian Brig Gen Abbas Nilforoushan.
We congratulate the heroic rocket launch carried out by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran, on large areas of our occupied territories, in response to the occupation’s continuing crimes against the peoples of the region, and in retaliation for the blood of our nation’s heroic martyrs,” the Hamas statement said, Reuters reported.
Hamas, the Islamic political and military group, controls the besieged Palestinian territory of Gaza.
UK prime minister condemns Iran’s missile attack against Israel
Britain “completely condemns” Iran’s actions after it fired a salvo of ballistic missiles at Israel. Keir Starmer’s office said the prime minister called for de-escalation across the region.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “The prime minister spoke to Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu this afternoon, and they discussed the escalating situation across the Middle East.
“The prime minister condemned Iran’s attack on Israel today in the strongest terms, which began during the leaders’ conversation, and expressed the UK’s steadfast commitment to Israeli security and the protection of civilians.
“During the call, the prime minister also underlined the importance of a ceasefire in Lebanon to allow space for a political solution in line with UNSC Resolution 1701.”
The spokesperson added Starmer “also raised the situation in Gaza and the importance of a ceasefire and action to bring home the hostages”.
