Projectiles are intercepted by Israel above Tel Aviv on Oct. 1, 2024. Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images
Iran launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles into Israel yesterday. Israel shot down most of the missiles and vowed to retaliate.
Virtually the entire nation of 10 million people took to their bomb shelters and safe rooms for about an hour on the evening of Oct. 1 after Iran launched the barrage, which Israel’s leadership said was 181 missiles. They stayed there until the Israel Defense Forces issued an all-clear.
Two U.S. naval destroyers, the USS Cole and the USS Bulkeley, assisted in shooting down Iran’s missiles headed into Israel, Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters at the Department of Defense. They launched about a dozen interceptors, he said. Iran’s barrage came after Israel’s string of attacks directed at Hezbollah, Iran’s proxy in Lebanon. Two weeks ago, thousands of pagers and handheld radios belonging to Hezbollah leaders and officers exploded, killing some and wounding or maiming hundreds.
