Late this afternoon, around 6:30 p.m. (CET time), Iran launched its long-awaited retaliation against Israel for the killings of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah Chief Hassan Nasrallah, and Pasdaran member Abbas Nilforoushan.

The Iranian attack, announced by US intelligence sources 2 hours earlier, involved the launch of 180/200 ballistic missiles (including QADR-F/H, DEZFUL, KHEYBAR SHEKAN 1/2, and the near-hypersonic FATAH) against the territory of the Jewish state. The operation has been dubbed TRUE PROMISE 2.

At the moment, the effects of the raid are still unclear but, judging from the numerous videos that have appeared on the internet, at least some 20 missiles appear to have gone on target, while most should have been intercepted by Israeli air defence systems (ARROW 2 and 3, and perhaps DAVID'S SLING as well), supported by the US Navy's BURKE-class destroyers (USS COLE and USS BULKELEY), which launched a dozen SM-3 missiles.

The targets of the attack appear to be: the Nevantim airbase, home to 3 squadrons of F-35I ADIR fighter-bombers and a squadron of KC-707 air tankers; the Tel Nof airbase housing F-15s; the Netzarim corridor in the Gaza Strip; and as-yet unidentified targets near Tel Aviv and in the Negev desert.