Iran’s ballistic missile assault on Israel was “defeated and ineffective”, the White House said on Tuesday, hailing US involvement in repelling some of the attacks.
“Based on what we know at this point, this attack appears to have been defeated and ineffective,” Jake Sullivan, US President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor, told reporters.
Late Tuesday, Iranian forces fired a barrage of missiles targeting “three military bases” around Israel’s commercial hub Tel Aviv, the Guards said.
The United States had earlier warned of an imminent Iranian ballistic missile attack on Israel, and said it would have “severe” consequences for Tehran.
Iranian media carried online footage of what they said were missiles being fired at Israel.
State television played upbeat music over the footage as its newscaster spoke of “the brave Iranian people”.
It later broadcast images of residents of Iran’s second city Mashhad celebrating the Guards’ attack in the streets, waving Hezbollah’s yellow flag and portraits of slain Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.
Similar celebrations took place in the capital Tehran and several provincial cities.
Tuesday’s attack was Iran’s second ever on Israel, after a missile and drone attack in April in retaliation for a deadly Israeli air strike on Iran’s consulate in Damascus.
Nearly all of the missiles and drones fired in that attack were intercepted by Israel or its allies.
