Iranian media reports say back-to-back explosions could be heard in Tel Aviv after Iran fired dozens of missiles at targets in the occupied Palestine.  

IRNA notes that Palestinian media reports said Israeli air defense systems had failed to intercept some of the missiles fired from Iran, leading to extensive damage to several targets in Tel Aviv.

The Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv was reportedly closed while settlers living in the city fled for shelters.

According to IRNA, Israeli media said up to 400 missiles had been fired at targets across the occupied Palestine. The Israeli occupation forces estimated that 200 missiles had been fired in two separate rounds. 

Iranian retaliation against Israel has reportedly begun as “ballistic missiles fired by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) at the occupied Palestinian lands (Israeli regime) Tuesday evening.”

Iran's IRGC said that it has started hitting important military targets with dozens of missiles.

In a statement, the IRGC said that the missile attack was retaliation for different assassinations carried out by the Zionist enemy and the crimes in Palestine and Lebanon.

“In response to the martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh, Hassan Nasrallah and IRGC commander Abbas Nilforushan, we targeted the heart of the occupied territories,” the IRGC said in a statement.

Iran's IRGC warned the Israeli regime of more severe Iranian retaliation in case it responds to attack.

In its second announcement after the missile attack, the IRGC announced that it targeted strategic centers inside the occupied territories “with missiles made by sons of Islamic Iran.”

“In this operation, some air force and radar bases; the centers of conspiracy and planning of assassination against the leaders of the resistance, especially the martyr Dr. Ismail Haniyeh and the leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon, the martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and the military commanders of Hezbollah, the Islamic resistance of Palestine, and the commanders of the Revolutionary Guards were hit,” the statement says, noting that 90% of the missiles hit the targets successfully.  

"It is being warned that if the Zionist regime reacts militarily to this operation, which is in accordance with the legal rights of the country and international laws, it will face further crushing and destructive attacks," the IRGC further said.

CBS News reports that after about 45 minutes, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was safe for people across Israel to leave shelters, and spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the military did not "identify any additional aerial threats from Iran." 

Hagari was cited as saying that while a few of the Iranian weapons did land and assessments were ongoing, the IDF was "not aware of any casualties." 

American officials reportedly said nearly 200 missiles were fired towards Israeli territory from Iran, while the IDF said, "Since the beginning of the Iranian missile attack ... IDF systems have identified approximately 180 missiles fired towards Israeli territory from Iran."

People take shelter during an air raid siren, in central Israel, October 1, 2024; photo / Reuters / Ronen Zvulun

CNN says its teams on the ground in multiple locations in Israel observed dozens of missiles piercing through the skies as sirens blasted across the country.  At least one person was killed and several were injured during the attack, according to the Israeli military, CNN reports.  

Israel has reportedly vowed to respond to the attack – sparking worries among its allies that the conflict in the Middle East could escalate further.

Speaking hours after the assault, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “Iran made a big mistake tonight - and it will pay for it.  The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our determination to retaliate against our enemies.”