In the wake of the recent escalation between Iran and Israel, Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and rockets directly at Israel. It is the first time that Iran has attacked Israel directly, after both sides had engaged in a shadow war for years. The majority of the missiles and drones were intercepted outside of Israeli airspace, with minimal damage on Israeli soil.

US President Joe Biden emphasized that nearly all attacks were repelled with the help of the USA and sharply condemned the attack. He reaffirmed the "ironclad commitment of America to the security of Israel."

This Iranian retaliatory attack follows a strike on its consulate in Syria on April 1st, in which seven officers of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard were killed. Iran blamed Israel for this attack, which, however, was neither confirmed nor denied.

Israel has not yet decided on the next steps, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised, "together we will prevail". Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that the damage was minor, however, he warned that the campaign was not over yet and called for vigilance.

International reactions have also arrived. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned Iran's "reckless" attack and emphasized that the United Kingdom "will continue to stand up for the security of Israel and all our regional partners". UN Secretary-General António Guterres also condemned the escalation and called for "an immediate end to these hostilities".

The situation remains tense, and further international talks and measures are expected to avoid further escalation.