What's happened
On October 1, 2024, US Navy destroyers intercepted over 180 Iranian missiles targeting Israel, marking a significant escalation in Middle Eastern tensions. The missile strikes were in retaliation for the recent killings of key Iranian and Hezbollah leaders. Israel's Iron Dome successfully intercepted many missiles, while millions of Israelis sought shelter.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Guardian, President Joe Biden directed military support for Israel, stating that the missile attacks were 'defeated and ineffective.' Meanwhile, Business Insider reported that US destroyers successfully intercepted multiple missiles, highlighting the effectiveness of the Aegis Combat System. The Independent noted that Netanyahu warned Iran would 'pay a price' for its actions, indicating a potential for further escalation. Shweta Sharma from The Independent emphasized the unprecedented scale of the missile attack, which was significantly larger than previous strikes, suggesting a shift in Iran's military strategy. These contrasting perspectives illustrate the complexity of the situation and the potential for ongoing conflict.
How we got here
The conflict escalated following Israel's military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon and the assassination of Iranian-backed leaders. Iran's missile attack was framed as retaliation for these actions, heightening fears of a broader regional conflict.
More on these topics
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Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
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Iran, also called Persia, and officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered to the northwest by Armenia and Azerbaijan, to the north by the Caspian Sea, to the northeast by Turkmenistan, to the east by Afghanistan a
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Hezbollah is a Shia Islamist political party and militant group based in Lebanon. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council, and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese parliament.
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Ismail Abdel Salam Ahmed Haniyeh is a senior political leader of Hamas and formerly one of two disputed Prime Ministers of the Palestinian National Authority. Haniyeh became prime minister after Hamas won the Palestinian legislative elections of 2006.
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Hassan Nasrallah is the third and current Secretary General of the Lebanese political and paramilitary party Hezbollah since his predecessor, Abbas al-Musawi, was assassinated by the Israel Defense Forces in February 1992.
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Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is an American politician who is the 46th and current president of the United States. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 and represented Delaware in the United States Senate
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The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country located off the northÂwestern coast of the European mainland.
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Benjamin Netanyahu is an Israeli politician serving as Prime Minister of Israel since 2009, and previously from 1996 to 1999. Netanyahu is also the Chairman of the Likud – National Liberal Movement.
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Jacob Jeremiah Sullivan is an American policymaker and was a senior policy advisor to Hillary Clinton's 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign, with expertise in foreign policy. He was spoken of as a front-runner for the position of U.S.
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The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States.