Hezbollah Launches Surface-to-Surface Missile at Tel Aviv

On September 25, Israeli air defense forces successfully intercepted a surface-to-surface ballistic missile launched by Hezbollah towards Tel Aviv. This marked the first time the militant group has targeted Israel’s largest city.

The Israeli military reported that air raid sirens were activated in Tel Aviv’s suburbs and central regions due to the missile threat. Fortunately, the missile was intercepted with no damage or casualties reported.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the detection of a missile launched from Lebanon, which was successfully intercepted. The attack occurred just before 6:30 a.m., triggering alerts in several locations, including the Gush Dan and Sharon areas. IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani shared a map outlining areas in Tel Aviv where sirens were activated, as well as numerous alerts around Netanya, located about 20 miles north of the city.

“Good morning? Not exactly. It’s 6:30 a.m. and Hezbollah just launched a missile toward Israel, sending millions of innocent civilians across central Israel running for shelter,” Shoshani remarked on social media.

Hezbollah confirmed the launch of a Qader 1 ballistic missile aimed at Tel Aviv’s Mossad headquarters, asserting the attack was retribution for the killings of its leaders and other incidents attributed to the Israeli foreign intelligence agency.

The organization stated that the missile attack was also a gesture of solidarity with what it termed the “valiant and honorable resistance” of Palestinians in Gaza and an act of defense for Lebanon and its people.

In response, the IDF posted a video on social media showing Israeli Air Force warplanes conducting strikes on the missile launch site in southern Lebanon’s Nafakhiyeh area. This operation was part of a broader campaign involving numerous strikes against Hezbollah weapon sites overnight, continuing into Wednesday.

Reports from the Lebanese Health Ministry indicated that at least 15 individuals lost their lives due to the strikes, with four casualties occurring in the central Lebanese town of Joun, where seven others were injured. Additional fatalities included three in Bint Jbeil, three in Ain Qana in the south, three in Al-Maaysra in the north, and two in Tebnine.

These incidents came on the heels of violence earlier in the week, where reports indicated over 500 fatalities and more than 1,800 injuries occurring on Monday and Tuesday alone.

The Israeli military confirmed its ongoing “extensive” strike operations in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley in retaliation for Hezbollah’s missile attack.

Speaking at the U.N. General Assembly in New York City, U.S. President Joe Biden emphasized the necessity of avoiding a full-scale war in the region while hinting at the possibility of a diplomatic resolution. Simultaneously, the Pentagon announced the deployment of additional U.S. troops to the Middle East.

The British government announced on the same day that it would send 700 troops, along with Royal Air Force aircraft and helicopters, to Cyprus to facilitate the potential emergency evacuation of roughly 10,000 British citizens from Lebanon.

This deployment adds to the presence of two British warships already positioned in the eastern Mediterranean. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged citizens in Lebanon to leave immediately while commercial flight options remained available.

“We are ramping up contingency plans in light of the escalation. It is important that we be really, really clear: now is the time to leave,” emphasized Starmer.