Israel vows ‘to target Iran’s oil in missile attack revenge’ after barrage from Tehran marked ‘significant escalation’ in crisis, as it edges ever closer to WWIII

Israel is preparing a ‘significant retaliation’ to Iran’s 200-strong barrage of missiles last night that could target the Middle Eastern nation’s lucrative oil facilities.

The region is edging closer to all-out war that is already drawing in allies on both sides – with British jets used to counter Iran’s strikes, which were fired in retaliation to attacks on Lebanon in recent days.

Reports suggest Israel, which has vowed to strike ‘powerfully’ in response to Iran, could go after the country’s oil facilities; Iran is the third biggest producer of crude oil in the OPEC group of oil producing countries.

But Iran’s armed forces joint chief of staff Gen. Mohammad Bagheri said this morning that the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) was prepared both defensively and offensively to repeat its missile attack with ‘multiplied intensity’, should Israel seek retribution.

‘If the Zionist regime, that has gone insane, is not contained by America and Europe and intends to continue such crimes, or do anything against our sovereignty or territorial integrity, tonight’s operation will be repeated with much higher magnitude and we will hit all their infrastructure,’ he said.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who was on the phone with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu when the Iranian attack began, said: ‘I am deeply concerned that the region is on the brink and I am deeply concerned about the risk of miscalculation.’

The US has vowed to stand with Israel; national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Iran’s fusillade represented a ‘significant escalation’ in the regional conflict. 

He told reporters at the White House: ‘We have made clear that there will be consequences, severe consequences, for this attack, and we will work with Israel to make that the case.’

Meanwhile, Israel’s ongoing military operations have continued uninterrupted – at least five airstrikes reportedly hit the southern suburbs of Lebanon’s capital Beirut early this morning. 

And Israeli strikes killed at least 32 people in southern Gaza overnight as the military launched ground operations in the hard-hit city of Khan Younis.

Israel has continued to strike what it says are militant targets across Gaza nearly a year after Hamas’ October 7 attack ignited the war, even as attention has shifted to Lebanon and growing tensions with Iran. 

It comes as: 

• Israel launched a ground invasion of southern Lebanon overnight on Monday with the aim of driving Hezbollah forces away from the border;
• The operation will be ‘limited’ and last for ‘days, not weeks’, Israeli officials told the US;
• British nationals scrambled to escape the war-torn country, with the UK government chartering an aircraft from Beirut today;
• Two terrorists armed with an assault rifle and a knife killed six people in the Jaffa neighbourhood of Tel Aviv minutes before the Iranian missile attack;
• The United Nations Security Council called an emergency meeting for Wednesday to address the spiraling conflict. 

In a major escalation by Iran, 181 missiles began raining down on Israel on Tuesday night, with some rockets dramatically exploding into bright orange flames near Tel Aviv as air raid sirens sounded. It prompted celebrations in the streets of Tehran.

But Israel’s vaunted air defence systems stood firm against the Iranian barrages, fired in revenge for Mr Netanyahu’s campaign against Tehran’s Hezbollah allies in Lebanon, including the assassination of its leader last week. 

Falling projectiles burned like comets against the night sky after they were intercepted by Israel’s ‘Iron Dome’, while US and UK forces also helped to down the incoming missiles.

Britain’s Defence Secretary John Healey ‘condemned’ Iran’s attack, adding: ‘British forces have this evening played their part in attempts to prevent further escalation in the Middle East.’

MailOnline understands that the UK played a similar role to when it defended Israel from an Iranian attack in April. On this occasion, RAF fighter jets shot down a number of drones, with support from several other countries including the US.

Mr Healey added: ‘I want to thank all British personnel involved in the operation for their courage and professionalism. The UK stands fully behind Israel’s right to defend its country and its people against threats.’ 

The expected assault, hailed as ‘heroic’ by Iran-backed Hamas, marks a major escalation in the Middle East, and was ‘twice the scope’ of Tehran’s bombardment in April, which saw more than 170 explosive drones and 120 ballistic missiles launched.

The attack, for which Israel has vowed to exact revenge, forced civilians to seek shelter as huge chunks of molten metal crashed to the ground. 

In a major embarrassment for Iran, the US said that the missile volley was ‘defeated and ineffective’, with just one reported death – a Palestinian man who was killed by shrapnel in the West Bank.

Israeli sources told Axios all options were on the table for retaliation despite Iran’s threats – including targeting oil and even nuclear facilities.

Despite Iran claiming a new type of hypersonic missile was also used for the first time, IDF Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said there were no Israeli casualties and just a few hits in the centre of the country and in the south.

‘We are on high alert both defensively and offensively,’ Hagari said in a TV broadcast. 

‘We will defend the citizens of the State of Israel. This attack will have consequences. We have plans, and we will operate at the place and time we decide.’

In a rare urgent statement from Downing Street yesterday, Prime Minister Starmer warned Brits to evacuate Lebanon, where Israeli forces launched a ground invasion on Iran-backed Hezbollah targets on Monday night.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Iran’s massive missile attack on Israel ‘a big mistake’ and vowed to make Tehran ‘pay for it’.

‘Iran made a big mistake tonight and will pay for it,’ said Netanyahu hours after the attack, warning: ‘Whoever attacks us, we attack them.’

In a separate statement, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, who was at the command and control centre monitoring the interception of Iranian missiles, also vowed to punish Iran for the attack.

‘Iran has not learned a simple lesson – those who attack the state of Israel, pay a heavy price,’ he said in a statement issued by his office.

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan condemned the ‘significant escalation by Iran’, but added: ‘In short, this attack seems to have been defeated and ineffective’.

With the world holding its breath over an all-out war in the Middle East, the White House said President Joe Biden had ordered the US military to ‘aid Israel’s defence’ and shoot down Iranian missiles.

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee in next month’s US presidential election, were both monitoring Iran’s attack on Israel from the White House situation room.

The US had earlier warned that it was preparing for Iran to launch ballistic missiles in yet another major escalation in the Middle East. These can reach their targets in just 12 minutes.

Some 181 missiles were fired into Israel in what Iran confirmed was a revenge attack for Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Iran claimed that 80 per cent of the missiles hit their targets, but the US and Israel have said the attack appears to have been ineffective. Footage online does appear to show that some of Iran’s targets were hit, while some buildings had their windows smashed.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps said its ‘Fattah’ hypersonic missile, which translates as ‘conqueror’ or ‘bringer of victory’ in Arabic, was part of the salvo.

The salvo of rockets, seen raining down on Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, came as Israeli police battled a terrorist attack in Jaffa, southern Israel, with Israeli media reporting that at least six people were shot dead.

The attack on Israel comes just hours after the IDF launched a ground invasion of southern Lebanon to carry out raids against Iranian-backed Hezbollah targets. 

As missiles bombarded Israel, the IDF said: ‘A short while ago, missiles were launched from Iran towards the State of Israel. You are instructed to remain alert and precisely follow the Home Front Command’s instructions.

‘The IDF is doing and will do everything necessary to protect the civilians of the State of Israel.’

In a chilling warning of further bloodshed, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said that should Israel retaliate Tehran’s response would be ‘more crushing and ruinous’.

They added: ‘In response to the martyrdom of (Hamas leader) Ismail Haniyeh, Hassan Nasrallah and (Guards commander) Nilforoshan, we targeted the heart of the occupied territories (Israel).’ 

But this statement was followed by a defiant announcement by Israel that its fighter jets are poised to attack other targets in the Middle East ‘in a powerful way’.

Hamas also praised Iran’s missile attack, releasing the statement: ‘The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) blesses the heroic rocket launches carried out by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran against wide areas of our occupied lands.’

It added that it was ‘in revenge for the blood of our heroic martyrs’.

On Tuesday night, it appeared almost the entirety of the Iranian missiles were intercepted, either by Israel’s allies, or by its own network of defensive systems such as the Iron Dome.

A military spokesperson said Israel recorded ‘a few hits in the centre and other areas in the south of the country’.

One Palestinian was reported to have been killed near the West Bank city of Jericho when a projectile landed nearby during the rocket barrage, said Hussein Hamayel, the Palestinian governor of the area. He said the man, originally from Gaza, was killed by falling shrapnel.

US Navy destroyers deployed to the eastern Mediterranean took down multiple missiles, according to security sources, while Israel’s neighbour Jordan came to its aid.

Jordan’s Public Security Directorate said its air defences and the Royal Jordanian Air Force had intercepted Iranian missiles and drones aimed at Israel.

A large-scale attack by Iran on Israel could now be the catalyst for an all-out war in the Middle East.

In the UK, Downing Street said it ‘completely condemns Iran’s actions’. In a rare emergency briefing, Sir Keir Stamer said he ‘utterly condemned’ Iran’s attempt ‘to harm innocent Israelis’ and ‘push the region ever-closer to the brink’.

He said: ‘We stand with Israel, and recognise her right to self defence in the face of this aggression. Iran must stop these attacks, together with its proxies like Hezbollah.’

The PM added: ‘We support Israel’s reasonable demand for the security of its people.

‘I am deeply concerned that the region is on the brink and I am deeply concerned about the risk of miscalculation.’

He said the situation in Lebanon ‘is incredibly grave’ and warned British nationals to leave immediately. 

Overnight, at least five Israeli strikes hit Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Lebanese security source said, as the Israeli military said it was targeting Hezbollah sites and issued several evacuation orders.

‘At least five Israeli strikes targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs,’ the source said, requesting anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.

AFP correspondents heard multiple explosions and saw smoke rising in one area while a fire appeared to burn.

The Israeli military said early Wednesday that it was ‘currently striking Hezbollah terror targets in Beirut’.

Sir Keir refused to confirm or deny whether the British military would be helping Israel, telling reporters: ‘This is an evolving situation but what I will say is that we stand with Israel and her right to self defence and relevant updates will be provided in due course.’ 

Moments before Iran unleashed its missiles, Lord Admiral West, the former Head of the Royal Navy, questioned how large the scale of the attack would be and spoke about the implications this could have.

He told MailOnline: ‘If it’s pre-warned and fired on a limited scale, just for Iran to say to all their own people and to the terrorists in the region, ‘Look, we’re not taking this lying down the fact that the Israelis have attacked Hezbollah and gone into Lebanon’, that’s one thing. 

‘If it is a huge and major ballistic missile attack tied in with other actions as well, that’s a different kettle of fish, and that could lead to a larger Middle East war.’

Lord West said that while the US have stepped in to assist Israel, it was unlikely that the UK would be able to help defend ballistic missiles.

He added: ‘If it’s only ballistic missiles, then there’s little that we can do with our aircraft to shoot down ballistic missiles.

‘If it’s purely ballistic missiles being fired, then you can’t shoot them down from a fighter aircraft. 

‘And that’s all we’d have available in that area. Now, the Type 45 destroyer could shoot down a ballistic missile that’s aimed at it, or something close to it, but not things that are being fired into Israel.’

Shadow Security Minister Tom Tugendhat MP also condemned the attack, saying: ‘Iran’s barbaric attack on Israel shows that the regime in Tehran is intent on killing as many innocent men, women, and children in Israel as possible. 

‘They are trying to murder Jews, Muslims and Christians in the only democracy of the Middle East. The world must unite in condemning this heinous act of state terrorism.

‘This is just the latest action from a regime that, for the past 45 years, has murdered its own citizens and hundreds of thousands of Muslims in Syria and Yemen. Today, my thoughts are with the people of Israel and everyone in the Middle East who is suffering at the hands of Iran’s brutal leaders.’

The ballistic missiles were fired from Iran while Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon also launched rockets and fired small arms into Israel.

It followed Israel’s ground assault on Hezbollah positions in Lebanon and its killing of the group’s leader Hassan Nasrallah in an air strike on Beirut last week.

The remarkably minimal impact of the barrage of missiles was in part due to Israel’s sophisticated warning systems, its shelters and air defence networks such as the Iron Dome and David’s Sling.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians in the centre and the south of the country received messages on mobile phones to take cover and avoid gatherings.

Last night, Professor Michael Clarke, previously of the Royal United Services Institute, said the Middle East faced a full-scale conflict.

He said: ‘This might not be the only attack. If I was making decisions in Iran I wouldn’t be just firing one salvo.

‘I also suspect there will be a lot more terrorist incidents on behalf of Iran. In the past fortnight Israel has had its adversary on the back foot. The question is are they over-reaching themselves? Should we [the UK] support it fully?

‘The wider world is saying be careful Israel, we are closer to a regional war than we were two weeks ago, or even 48 hours ago. A ceasefire does not appear to be on Israel’s agenda.’

Fears of an Iranian attack were raised as the Israeli military warned the residents of more than two dozen Lebanese border communities to immediately evacuate their homes after announcing the start of ground operations against Hezbollah late last night.

Israeli citizens elsewhere were warned by the Home Front Command to ‘stay next to a protected space’, ‘minimise moving around the area’ and ‘avoid gatherings’.

Meanwhile IDF spokesman Avichay Adraee told Lebanese citizens to flee north of the Awali River, some 60 kilometres (36 miles) from the border, raising fears that the IDF may intend to send its forces deep into southern Lebanon or step up the intensity of airstrikes.

‘You must head north of the Awali River to save yourselves and leave your houses immediately,’ said the statement.

Iran in April launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel in a one-off retaliation for an Israeli strike on an Iranian consulate compound in Syria. 

But all those projectiles were downed by Israeli, Jordanian, British and US defences, and analysts said the move was more a symbol of intent on Tehran’s behalf and not designed to cause real damage. 

The latest Iranian attack comes in response to Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut last Friday and the punishing airstrikes of the past week that have displaced more than 1 million people from their homes across southern and eastern Lebanon. 

Tehran had appeared uncharacteristically reluctant to trumpet its support for Hezbollah in recent weeks even as Israel dramatically ramped up its military offensive against the Iranian proxy. 

However, the Iranian Embassy in Lebanon yesterday issued a cryptic statement affirming that Tehran will continue to ‘stand by’ Hezbollah prior to the missile attack.

‘The Lebanese people are aware and can fully distinguish between their friends who stood by them in the darkest of circumstances, and those who provide cover for their enemy to besiege and target them,’ it said.

‘The influential role of Iran will become more and more clear to the world when the star of victory over Zionist terrorism shines,’ it added.

‘Iran is continuing its approach steadfastly, unaffected by all the noise that is happening.’

Israel’s defence forces (IDF) claimed to have launched ‘localised’ cross-border raids on southern Lebanon late Monday, which Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said were designed to prevent Hezbollah from conducting an ‘October 7-style massacre’.

‘Hezbollah turned Lebanese villages next to Israeli villages into military bases ready for an attack on Israel,’ he said. 

Clips and images released by the IDF showed tanks, artillery and helicopters pounding targets just across the border, along with a video showing special forces seemingly preparing under the cover of night for a raid. 

However, Hezbollah and Lebanese officials have contested Israel’s version of events, denying the claim that IDF troops had stepped foot on Lebanese soil.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah launched waves of rockets at targets across Israel yesterday, prompting officials to close beaches and limit the size of public gatherings. 

Air raid sirens sounded across northern and central Israel this morning as air defence systems sprang into action to down the Hezbollah rockets – but some projectiles appeared to sneak through.

Pictures and videos shared to social media showed the remnants of downed projectiles lying in the streets, while smoke was seen rising from buildings struck in Hezbollah’s attacks after explosions rang out in Tel Aviv.

The Lebanese group claimed it launched a barrage of Fadi 4 missiles at Israeli Mossad headquarters in Tel Aviv, the IDF 8200 intelligence unit in Glilot, as well as a series of other military targets. 

The Israeli military said their ground operations in Lebanon began in earnest on Monday night and involved the elite 98th division, which was deployed to the northern front two weeks ago from Gaza where they had been fighting against Hamas for months.

It said its air force and artillery supported ground troops engaged in ‘localised and targeted ground raids’ against Hezbollah in southern Lebanese villages.

Israeli officials have insisted the raids will be limited in scale, adding they do not intend to launch a ground assault on Beirut or occupy swathes of Lebanon.

The operation, which comes nearly a year on from Hamas‘ October 7 attacks, was given the green light yesterday – three days after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was confirmed dead following a devastating attack in Beirut.

But Rear Admiral Hagari added this afternoon that IDF special forces units had been conducting small scale raids to destroy Hezbollah tunnels along the border ever since October 7.

Close to 3,000 militants from Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad were allegedly waiting in southern Lebanon villages to attack Israel in the days after Hamas’s October 7 onslaught. 

But they were forced back by Israeli airstrikes, allowing IDF commandos to conduct some 70 raids undetected in which they destroyed weapons caches, collapsed tunnels and gathered intelligence, Hagari said.

It was revealed this afternoon that the IDF also mobilised four additional brigades to be deployed in missions along the northern border in the wake of the latest ground incursions.

‘This will enable the continuation of operational activity against the Hezbollah terrorist organisation and the achievement of operational goals, including the safe return of the residents of northern Israel to their homes,’ the army said in a statement.

The statement did not provide details about the new brigades being called up, but one brigade typically consists of 1,000 to 2,000 soldiers, while an armoured tank brigade has about 100 tanks.

Meanwhile, Israel’s air force continued to pound targets across Lebanon with brutal airstrikes Monday, while also hitting Damascus in Syria and various locations in Gaza. 

Dystopian images that emerged early yesterday showed Israeli flares and munitions lighting up the night sky in southern Lebanon, softening up Hezbollah positions in preparation for the IDF incursion.