At least six people were killed and nine others wounded in a deadly shooting in Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening, just moments before Iran launched a barrage of missiles toward Israel. The coordinated attacks have escalated tensions in the region as Israel remains on high alert amid conflicts with both Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The gunmen, who disembarked from a tram in Tel Aviv's Jaffa neighborhood, opened fire on pedestrians in what Israeli police labeled as a terrorist attack. Footage captured by Israeli television showed the attackers firing indiscriminately at people on the platform before being neutralized by security forces and an armed civilian. The attackers were shot dead at the scene. While no immediate claim of responsibility was made by Palestinian factions or other militant groups, Israeli authorities suspect the assailants came from the West Bank city of Hebron, according to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
In a social media statement, Smotrich vowed to demand harsh consequences for the attackers' families, including their deportation to Gaza and the destruction of their homes. "This attack is yet another act of terror that requires a strong response," Smotrich added, signaling a possible intensification of Israeli policy regarding retaliatory measures.
Shortly after the shooting, air raid sirens blared across Tel Aviv and other parts of Israel as Iran launched what officials described as a "massive barrage" of ballistic missiles aimed at various targets within Israel. The attack, which was carried out in retaliation for the killing of high-ranking Iran-backed militant leaders, sent thousands of Israelis scrambling for safety in bomb shelters.
The Iranian missile barrage, consisting of nearly 200 projectiles, was intercepted by both Israeli and U.S. defense systems. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his condolences to the victims of the shooting in Tel Aviv, while addressing the broader missile threat. "Israel will continue to defend itself with determination and force," Netanyahu said in a televised address. "We will respond to every attack, and we will continue to pursue those who seek to harm us."
American Naval destroyers were reportedly involved in assisting Israel's air defense systems in intercepting the missiles. U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan confirmed that American forces joined Israel in launching interceptors to shoot down the incoming missiles, preventing further casualties. The Israeli military later announced that the missile threat had been neutralized, and citizens were cleared to leave protected spaces.
The shooting in Tel Aviv is part of an increasingly volatile situation that began nearly a year ago when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel, sparking an ongoing conflict in Gaza. Since then, over 41,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Palestinian health authorities, as Israel continues its military operations in the region. Meanwhile, Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group based in Lebanon, has intensified rocket attacks on Israel's northern borders. Last week, Israel conducted an airstrike in Beirut that killed Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, further escalating the conflict with Lebanon.
The recent surge in violence has heightened fears of a broader regional conflict, drawing in multiple actors, including Iran. Tehran has made no secret of its support for Hezbollah and other militant groups that oppose Israel. In the aftermath of the Tel Aviv attack, Iran's state media praised the missile barrage as a "legitimate response" to Israeli aggression, although it did not formally claim responsibility.
