Israel and the United States have promised to retaliate against Iran, following its missile attack on Israel.
Iran, on Wednesday, however, said its missile attack on Israel, its biggest military assault on the Jewish state, was over.
Despite calls for a ceasefire from the United Nations, the United States and the European Union, fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continued on Wednesday.
Israel renewed its bombardment of Beirut’s southern suburbs, a stronghold of the Iran-backed armed Hezbollah group, with at least a dozen airstrikes against what it said were targets belonging to the group.
Large plumes of smoke were seen rising from parts of the suburbs. Israel issued new evacuation orders for the area, which has largely emptied after days of heavy strikes.
Hezbollah said it confronted Israeli forces infiltrating the Lebanese town of Adaisseh early on Wednesday and forced them to retreat.
Iran described Tuesday’s assault on Israel as defensive and solely aimed at its military facilities. Iran’s state news agency said three Israeli military bases had been targeted.
Iran said its assault was a response to Israeli killings of militant leaders and aggression in Lebanon against Hezbollah and in Gaza.
“Our action is concluded unless the Israeli regime decides to invite further retaliation. In that scenario, our response will be stronger and more powerful,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a post on X on Wednesday morning.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to hit back.
“Iran made a big mistake tonight – and it will pay for it,” he said at the outset of an emergency political security cabinet meeting late on Tuesday, according to a statement.
The United States said it would work with longtime ally Israel to ensure Iran faced “severe consequences” for Tuesday’s attack, which Israel said involved more than 180 ballistic missiles.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke to Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant late on Tuesday and said Washington was “well-postured” to defend its interests in the Middle East, the Pentagon said in a statement.
Austin said separately in a post on X: “I spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant today following today’s outrageous act of aggression by Iran against Israel.
“The Minister and I expressed mutual appreciation for the coordinated defense of Israel against nearly 200 ballistic missiles launched by Iran and committed to remain in close contact. I also expressed my deepest condolences to the families impacted by the horrific and deadly terrorist shooting in Israel.”
U.S. Navy warships fired about a dozen interceptors against Iranian missiles headed toward Israel, the Pentagon said.
Reuters quoted Britain as saying its forces played a part “in attempts to prevent further escalation in the Middle East”, without elaborating.
The Pentagon said Tuesday’s airstrikes by Iran were about twice the size of April’s assault by Iran on Israel.
