Middle East latest: Iran and Israel swap threats following missile barrage

Your support helps us to tell the story

Support Now

Find out moreClose

Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.

Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.

Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.

Louise Thomas

Editor

The Middle East moved closer to a long-feared regional war the day after Iran fired a barrage of missiles at Israel and Israel said it began limited ground incursions into Lebanon targeting the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia.

Israel said it intercepted many of the missiles, and officials in Washington said U.S. destroyers assisted in Israel's defense. Iran said most of its missiles hit their targets. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed late Tuesday to retaliate against Iran, which he said “made a big mistake tonight and it will pay for it.” An Iranian commander threatened wider strikes on infrastructure if Israel retaliates against Iran's territory.

The United Nations Security Council called an emergency meeting for Wednesday to address the spiraling conflict.

Israel and Hezbollah have traded fire across the Lebanon border almost daily since Oct. 8, the day after Hamas sent fighters into Israel and sparked the war in Gaza. It's been almost a year since some 250 people were abducted from Israel, and friends and family are worried about their loved ones as attention turns away from hostages and north toward Lebanon.

___

Here is the latest:

Chinese citizens evacuate from Lebanon

BEIJING — China’s official Xinhua news agency said 146 Chinese nationals and five members of their families arrived in Beijing on Wednesday after being evacuated from Lebanon on a charter flight.

The report said that all Chinese citizens who wanted to evacuate have left the country, while the Chinese Embassy in Lebanon will continue its duties.

Australian PM condemns Iranian attack

MELBOURNE, Australia — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned Iran’s missile attack on Israel and called for de-escalation.

“We’re very concerned about Iran’s actions, which is why we condemn them,” Albanese told reporters in Melbourne, Australia, on Wednesday.

“It is a good thing that it would appear that the defense of Israel, supported by the United States, has ensured that there is no loss of civilian life, it would appear, at this stage. There’s been too much loss of life in that region,” Albanese added.

Albanese said Israel had a right to defend itself.

“What we have called for consistently is for a de-escalation in the region, along with our friends in the United States and others,” Albanese said.

UN says main Yemeni ports operational after Israeli airstrikes but power stations damaged

UNITED NATIONS — Yemen’s two main ports remain operational following Israeli airstrikes, but the strikes damaged power stations, the United Nations says.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Tuesday that the U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Yemen went to assess the situation at Yemen’s main port of Hodeida and nearby port of Ras Isa following Sunday’s Israeli strikes targeting sites used by Houthi rebels in the ports in western Yemen.

Israel said it was retaliating for a Houthi missile fired at central Israel on Saturday which was shot down. The Houthis said it was aimed at Ben Gurion Airport, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plane had just arrived from New York where he addressed the annual meeting of world leaders at the United Nations.

Dujarric said the U.N.’s humanitarian partners reported Tuesday that “after conducting an initial assessment, both ports remain operational and able to receive commercial and humanitarian supplies.”

“Power stations throughout Hodeida city are, however, running at a very limited capacity,” the U.N. spokesman said.

Top Iranian commander warns Israel not to retaliate or risk attacks on infrastructure

TEHRAN, Iran — A top Iranian military commander has warned that his country will hit Israel’s infrastructure if it takes any action against its territory.

Iran’s armed forces joint chief of staff Gen. Mohammad Bagheri said Wednesday that the Revolutionary Guard was prepared both defensively and offensively to repeat its missile attack with “multiplied intensity.”

“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.

Bagheri said Iran avoided targeting Israeli civilians although it was “completely feasible.”

Israeli ambassador says his country's response to Iranian missile attack will be ‘painful’

UNITED NATIONS — Israel’s U.N. ambassador says his government will decide when and how to respond to Iran’s barrage of close to 200 ballistic missiles that forced Israel’s 10 million population into bomb shelters. “But I can tell you one thing, it will be noticed," he said. "It will be painful.”

Danny Danon reacted to a statement from Iran’s U.N. Mission that any new Israeli action would be met with a “crushing response,” saying: “I would not advise Iran to challenge our determination, our capabilities. In the past, we have proved it. We will prove it again.”

“We have no desire for war or escalation, but we cannot sit idly by when our civilians are being attacked in such manner,” the Israeli ambassador said. “Iran used to send boxes but now, when they send almost 200 ballistic missiles, that’s something that I don’t think any other nation in the world will ignore.”