Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a strong warning on Tuesday, October 1, threatening “devastating attacks” against Israel if it retaliates for a missile strike launched earlier by Tehran. The IRGC’s statement, reported by the Fars news agency, stressed that any response from Israel would be met with overwhelming force.
“If the Zionist regime responds to Iranian operations, it will face crushing retaliation,” the IRGC stated, justifying the missile strike as being in line with the United Nations Charter. The attack was reportedly in response to what Iran referred to as an “assault on its sovereignty,” citing the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July.
On Tuesday night, Iranian forces launched a series of missiles targeting Tel Aviv. Iranian state media broadcast the missile launches, underscored by patriotic music, highlighting the boldness of the action. The U.S. had previously warned that any Iranian missile strike on Israel would have “severe” repercussions.
This incident marks the second direct Iranian missile strike on Israel in six months, following an April attack in response to an Israeli air raid on Iran’s consulate in Damascus. Most of those projectiles were intercepted by Israel and its allies. The latest escalation comes after Israel’s recent strike that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and General Abbas Nilforoushan of the IRGC’s Quds Force, with Iran promising retaliation.
At the UN General Assembly last month, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused Israel of warmongering and stated that Iran had shown restraint following the killing of Haniyeh, despite pressure from regional allies. He warned that continued leniency would only embolden further Israeli actions.
With Iran’s longstanding support for Palestinian groups like Hamas and heightened regional tensions involving Iran-aligned forces in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, concerns of a broader regional conflict continue to grow.
