Iran Boasts of Missile Attack, Celebrations Erupt as IRGC Warns Israel of Retaliation

Tehran: Iran claimed success on Tuesday after launching a large missile strike against Israel, sparking celebrations across parts of the Muslim world. Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said 90 percent of the 180 ballistic missiles fired at Israel hit their targets, primarily military bases near Tel Aviv. However, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that many of the missiles were intercepted, resulting in minimal impact in central and southern Israel.

The attack followed weeks of tension between Israel and Iranian-backed groups, including Hezbollah, whose senior leadership has been significantly weakened by Israeli airstrikes. Iran stated that the missile launch was a response to Israel’s killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, along with other IRGC officials in recent strikes.

The IRGC warned that any Israeli retaliation would be met with "crushing attacks." Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei echoed this stance by posting a message on social media, proclaiming, “Victory comes from Allah and it is close.”

In response to the missile barrage, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan labeled the attack “defeated and ineffective,” promising that Iran would face consequences if it escalated further.

Celebrations erupted in Iran and parts of the Muslim world following the attack. Crowds in cities like Mashhad, Tehran, and Qom waved Hezbollah flags and pictures of Nasrallah, chanting anti-Israel and anti-American slogans. Similar scenes were observed in Beirut’s southern suburbs and parts of Iraq, where celebratory gunfire marked the occasion.

Meanwhile, in Israel, sirens blared across the country as civilians sought shelter. The missile launch caused some isolated damage, and one Palestinian was killed by shrapnel in the West Bank.

Hamas praised the Iranian strike, calling it a justified retaliation for Israel's ongoing actions against the region. Palestinians in the West Bank even turned a fragment of an Iranian missile into a makeshift monument, while others in East Jerusalem cheered as sirens signaled the incoming rockets.

Despite the scale of the attack, the situation remains tense as both Iran and Israel prepare for potential further escalation.