Missiles have been launched from Iran toward Israel, according to a statement from Israel’s military, as tensions in the region continue to escalate following warnings from the White House earlier in the day about an imminent ballistic missile attack.
The White House had warned of an impending missile strike earlier on Tuesday. “We have indications that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel,” the White House said, adding that the United States was “actively supporting defensive preparations to defend Israel against this attack.”
“A direct military attack from Iran against Israel will carry severe consequences for Iran,” a senior White House official added in a statement.
Reports from Israel suggest that the country believes Iran is likely targeting three Israeli air bases and an intelligence base north of Tel Aviv. “The intelligence base in Glilot was evacuated Tuesday afternoon,” a person briefed on the matter revealed, and Israel’s military has enacted contingency plans to ensure the safety of personnel at those bases.
A person familiar with the situation noted that the U.S. warned Israel that an attack could happen within the next 12 hours. Following the alert, high-level diplomacy unfolds behind the scenes as officials attempt to prevent further escalation.
President Joe Biden convened a meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris and top national security officials on Tuesday “to discuss Iranian plans to imminently launch a significant ballistic missile attack against Israel,” according to White House spokesperson Emilie Simons. Simons added that the officials “reviewed the status of U.S. preparations to help Israel defend against attacks and protect U.S. personnel.”
The situation has raised concerns among U.S. and Arab diplomats about what could happen next, particularly regarding Israel’s potential response to an Iranian strike. “There is no place in Iran that the long arm of Israel cannot reach, and that’s true of the entire Middle East,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated during his speech at the United Nations last week.
The U.S. is prepared to assist Israel in intercepting missiles or drones launched by Iran, similar to its assistance in April when Iran fired a wave of drones and missiles toward Israel, most of which were successfully intercepted, a U.S. official said.
The U.S. anticipates that the scope and scale of an Iranian attack could be similar to that of the April strike, a U.S. official told CNN. According to a person familiar with the matter, the U.S. issued its warning to Israel early Tuesday morning ET several hours before making the intelligence public.
Netanyahu urged Israelis to stay united and follow safety instructions. “What I ask of you is two things: One — to strictly obey the directives of the frontline command, it saves lives. And second — to stand together,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated the U.S.’s commitment to Israel’s defense: “We’re watching developments, as I said, very carefully at this moment,” Blinken said in brief remarks alongside his Moroccan counterpart, though he did not specifically mention Iran or the potential missile attack.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Israel issued a security alert directing all U.S. government personnel and their families “to shelter in place until further notice” due to the “current security situation.” While the alert did not explicitly mention Iran’s potential missile strike, it emphasized the importance of following safety procedures.
