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[Live Updating] Iran Has Launched A Massive Ballistic Missile Attack On Israel

Stefano D'Urso
Stefano D'Urso
14 Min Read
A composite image showing missiles descending towards Israel and one of the ballistic missiles being launched by the IRGC. (Image credit: NBC News and Iranian media)

Hours after the first reports about an imminent attack, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has launched hundreds of ballistic missiles against targets across Israel.

On Oct. 1, 2024, Iran launched a retaliatory strike on Israel after the targeted assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah few days earlier, on Sept. 27. The first reports mention hundreds of ballistic missiles launched by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps against targets across Israel, with the attack being already defined as much larger than the previous retaliatory strike in April 2024.

Contents
Hours after the first reports about an imminent attack, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has launched hundreds of ballistic missiles against targets across Israel.The attack and the reactionThe aftermath

Israeli and U.S. forces in the area were already on high alert, with the United States’ Department of Defense deploying additional assets to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations. The measures are meant to deter aggression and mitigate the risk of a broader regional conflict, said the Pentagon.

U.S. officials mentioned threats by Iran of an imminent attack on Israel with ballistic missiles just few hours after announcing the posture’s reinforcement. “Secretary Austin stressed that the United States is determined to prevent Iran and Iranian-backed partners and proxies from exploiting the situation or expanding the conflict,” read a statement by Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder.

The attack and the reaction

Reports online ranged from 200 to 400 missiles launched, while Israel’s official X account mentioned a total of 181 missiles. Gen. Ryder said in a briefing at the Pentagon that the attack was “about twice as large” as the one in April.

An unspecified large number of missiles has been shot down by the Israeli air defenses. As anticipated, the United States also took part in the defensive effort, with reports of U.S. Navy destroyers opening fire to shoot down multiple missiles. Impacts were recorded in central and southern Israel. According to Gen. Ryder, about a dozen interceptors were launched by U.S. ships, specifically the USS Bulkeley and USS Cole.

It appears that, once again, Jordan participated in the defense after the armed forces were put on high alert. CNN quoted Jordanian officials who mentioned the country actively participated in shooting down several missiles. Jordan also reportedly opened its airspace to U.S. aircraft for the operations, while no mentions were made regarding Israeli aircraft.

Iraq and Jordan also closed their airspace, while flights inbound to Tel Aviv were holding their position or diverting and flights over Iran were re-routed. Many airlines had their aircraft diverting or returning back to their departure airport as the airspace over Iran and Iraq quickly emptied.

The airspace of Israel has now been reopened, with reports of both GPS jamming and spoofing. Jordan and Iraq also reopened their airpace few hours later.

Iran’s IRGC released a statement regarding the missile attack on Israel: “In response to the martyrdom of Martyr Haniyeh, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Martyr Nilfroshan, we struck the heart of the occupied lands. If the Zionist regime reacts to Iran’s operations, it will face heavy strikes.”

The aftermath

Israel had already promised a “harsh” response in the event of an attack, with the Israeli Defense Forces now saying they will strike back tonight throughout the Middle East, while also confirming that the Israeli Air Force assets were not damaged after multiple missiles targeted air bases.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Israel might attack Iranian nuclear facilities as part of their own retaliatory strikes.

Multiple videos were published online showing the attack, including both the launch and the impact of the ballistic missiles.

Photos and video are also emerging of the debris left on the ground by the ballistic missiles, either after the interceptions or after impact. Debris of the missiles were also reported in Jordan and in the West Bank.

Geolocation of the videos circulated online has determined one the clips was shot near Nevatim Airbase.

Some details about the support provided by the U.S. Navy warships in the region have been released.

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By Stefano D'Urso
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Stefano D'Urso is a freelance journalist and contributor to TheAviationist based in Lecce, Italy. A graduate in Industral Engineering he's also studying to achieve a Master Degree in Aerospace Engineering. Electronic Warfare, Loitering Munitions and OSINT techniques applied to the world of military operations and current conflicts are among his areas of expertise.
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