Priyanka Tiwari
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Suspense crime, Digital Desk : Jerusalem/Tehran – The Middle East has been plunged into a new and dangerous crisis after Iran launched a significant wave of missile and drone attacks against Israel late Monday, June 23. The barrage, which lit up the night sky over several Israeli cities, marks a dramatic escalation in the long-running shadow war between the two nations, prompting urgent calls for de-escalation from world leaders.
Israeli military officials reported that the majority of the incoming projectiles were successfully intercepted by its multi-layered air defense systems, including the Iron Dome and David's Sling. However, some missiles did get through, causing damage at an airbase in southern Israel. The number of casualties is not yet confirmed.
In Tehran, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei addressed the nation, declaring the attack a "punishment" for the "malicious Zionist regime." He framed the strike as a justified retaliation for a recent alleged Israeli assassination of a high-ranking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander in Syria. "This was just the first step," Khamenei warned in a televised statement, suggesting further action could follow.
The attack drew swift and widespread international condemnation. The White House issued a statement strongly condemning Iran's "reckless and unprecedented attack" and reaffirming its "ironclad commitment" to Israel's security. European leaders echoed this sentiment, calling for restraint to avoid a full-blown regional war that could have catastrophic consequences for global stability and energy markets.
Adding a volatile political dimension, former U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in from his Truth Social platform. In a scathing post, he blasted the current administration's handling of the crisis. "This never would have happened if I were President," Trump wrote. "Weakness invites aggression. We had Iran in a box. Now they are emboldened and firing missiles. Sad!"
Israel's war cabinet is currently convened in Tel Aviv to formulate a response. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that Israel will "exact a price" from Iran at a time and place of its choosing.
With both sides issuing threats and the international community scrambling to contain the fallout, the region is on a knife's edge. Airlines are rerouting flights, and global oil prices have spiked on fears of a wider conflict that could disrupt the critical Strait of Hormuz. The world now watches and waits to see if diplomacy can pull the Middle East back from the brink of war.
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