Pentagon: Iran’s attack on Israel was twice as big as the one in April

Iran’s attack on Israel this Tuesday (1) was twice as large as the attack in April, said Pentagon spokesman Patrick S. Ryder.

“[É] about twice as much in terms of the number of ballistic missiles they have launched since the last moment,” he said, adding that “you don’t launch that many missiles hitting a target without intending something.”

“Certainly, just like last time, their intention was to cause destruction,” he said.

Understand the conflict in the Middle East

Iran’s attack on Israel comes amid the war between the Israeli Army and Hezbollah, a Lebanese paramilitary group supported by the Iranian government.

The offensive comes one day after the Israeli Army began a “limited ground operation” in Lebanon.

Israel has launched a series of airstrikes on regions in the neighboring country. On September 23, the country had its deadliest day since the 2006 war, with more than 500 fatalities.

According to the Israeli military, the targets are members and military infrastructure of Hezbollah, one of the most powerful paramilitary forces in the Middle East and supported by Iran.

The offensive reached several points in Lebanon, including the country’s capital, Beirut. Thousands of people sought refuge in shelters and left cities in the south of the country.

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, as confirmed by the group itself.

Hezbollah and Israel began exchanging attacks after the start of the war in the Gaza Strip. The Lebanese group is an ally of Hamas, which invaded Israeli territory on October 7, 2023, killing hundreds of people and capturing hostages.

Due to the bombings, thousands of residents of northern Israel, where the border with Lebanon is located, had to be displaced. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised several times to return these citizens to their homes.

On September 17, Israel added the return of these residents as an official war objective.

At least two Brazilian teenagers died in the attacks. Itamaraty condemned the situation and called for an end to hostilities. The Brazilian government is also evaluating a possible rescue mission.

This content was originally published in Pentagon: Iran’s attack on Israel was twice as big as the one in April on the CNN Brasil website.

Source: CNN Brasil

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