FIRST TIME: Hezbollah launches ballistic missile at Tel Aviv in clear escalation

‘David’s Sling’ shoots down surface-to-surface missile

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Air raid sirens sounded in central Israel's Gush Dan and Sharon regions on Wednesday morning, including Netanya and Tel Aviv, after a missile from Hezbollah forces in Lebanon was shot at the region for the first time since Oct. 8.

The surface-to-surface ballistic missile was intercepted by Israel's David’s Sling air defense system, which is designed to intercept medium and long-range missiles, as opposed to the Iron Dome, which is used to counter short-range rockets. There were no reported injuries or damages from the missile.

The launch represents the first time that a missile from Lebanon reached central Israel, and the first time in a decade that air raid sirens sounded in Netanya.

The IDF released a brief statement on Wednesday morning, “Following the sirens that sounded in the Tel Aviv and Netanya areas, one surface-to-surface missile was identified crossing from Lebanon and was intercepted by the IDF Aerial Defense Array.”

Illustrative - Qadr ballistic missile. Hezbollah claimed that this morning's attack on Tel Aviv was carried out using a medium-range ballistic missile, possibly the Qadr-1 or Qadr-110 variant. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

(Image: Israeli National Public Diplomacy Directorate)

Saudi Al-Hadath TV channel reported that Hezbollah forces had fired at least one missile at Gush Dan, aimed at the Glilot military base, home to IDF intelligence Unit 8200.

In a statement with Lebanese news site Al Mayadeen, Hezbollah took credit for the attack, claiming to have targeted the Mossad headquarters.

“On Wednesday morning, at half past six, the Islamic Resistance fired a Qadr-1 ballistic missile targeting the Mossad headquarters on the outskirts of Tel Aviv,” the statement read.

This is the location of the Hezbollah launcher used to fire on the Tel Aviv area this morning (September 25). The launcher is located in the village of Nafakhiyeh, east of Tyre, in a civilian building. This is another example of Hezbollah's use of human shields. The launcher was… pic.twitter.com/et1eK2aW7V
— Israel-Alma (@Israel_Alma_org) September 25, 2024

In addition, Hezbollah officially confirmed the death of Ibrahim Qubaisi, who was killed in an IDF airstrike on Tuesday evening.

Shortly after the launch, the IDF said it struck the launch site in the area of Nafakhiyeh in Lebanon, releasing a short video of the strike.

Elior Levy, Palestinian Affairs analyst for Israel's KAN news outlet, said the missile was intended to deliver a message that Hezbollah retains precision launch capabilities.

“A single missile to Tel Aviv was intended to send a signal and not to cause damage. If you will – Nasrallah's equivalent of a boom of an Israeli voice over Beirut. Hezbollah knows that the chances are that Israel will intercept the missile. When Hezbollah really wants to hit Tel Aviv – it will launch 30 of them in one attack and not just one.”

Following the missile interception, IDF Arabic Spokesperson Avichay Adraee reiterated his call to residents of southern Lebanon to evacuate any homes being used to store Hezbollah weapons and rockets.

#عاجل ‼️ إلى جميع سكان القرى اللبنانية الذين اخلوا منازلهم حفاظًا على سلامتهم بسبب وجود أسلحة أو عناصر لحزب الله الإرهابي
🔴غارات جيش الدفاع مستمرة🔴
من أجل سلامتكم لا تعودوا إلى منازلكم حتى إشعار آخر pic.twitter.com/9ZNiBugSfL
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) September 25, 2024

“IDF raids continue. For your safety, do not return to your homes until further notice,” Adraee posted on 𝕏.

Overnight, the IDF struck several sites in Lebanon including a Hezbollah warehouse in the village of Saadiyat, just north of Jiyyeh and about 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) south of Beirut.

The military said it struck “terrorists operating within terrorist infrastructure, weapons storage facilities, launchers, and additional Hezbollah terrorist targets.”

According to L’Orient Today, the airstrikes could be heard as far as the capital city.

The IDF released video footage of the strikes, which showed secondary explosions, indicating the presence of munitions in the building.

Following the strike on the launcher in Nafakhiyeh, there were several drones launched towards Israel’s northern border communities. At the time of publication, no injuries or damages had been reported.