Israel promises Iran will “pay” for missile attack and sends more troops to Lebanon

A group of young Palestinian men photograph a crashed rocket-propelled grenade believed to have been fired by Iran in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank last night.

Although Israel will decide when and how to respond to the Iranian missile attack, its response will be “noticed,” said Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations. “It will be painful.”

“And I think that the people of Iran who are watching us understand that this is not against the Iranian people, but against the radical regime that has put the Iranian people in this situation,” he added.

The U.S. Embassy in Israel has lifted its protective order for U.S. government employees and their family members, saying the risk of rocket fire has diminished. Current travel restrictions remain in place, it said.

“The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem is continually and closely monitoring the security situation,” the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs said in a post on X.

Hezbollah said its fighters forced an Israeli infantry force to withdraw from the town of Adaisseh in southern Lebanon today.

The Israeli soldiers tried to “infiltrate” Adaisseh, but Hezbollah clashed with them, inflicting “casualties” on the force and eventually repelling them, the Iran-backed militant group said in a statement.

The IDF has not yet commented on the claims, saying these would be the first known clashes between the two sides on the ground in Lebanon.

The Israeli military says infantry and armored units will join its invasion of southern Lebanon to target Hezbollah.

“The 36th Division, including soldiers from Golani Brigade, 188th Armored Brigade, 6th Infantry Brigade and other forces, are joining the limited, localized, targeted attacks on Hezbollah terrorist targets and terrorist infrastructure in southern Lebanon on Monday,” the IDF said in a post on Telegram.

“The soldiers are accompanied by the IAF and the 282nd Artillery Brigade.”

Iran has “no intention to continue its attacks,” Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi said today, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency, adding that its attacks on Israel last night were “a legitimate right of defense.”

“Any new move by the regime or its supporters will face an even harsher response from Iran,” he said. Aragchi said Iran also warned the US to “stand back and not interfere” in a message to the Swiss embassy. He later said on state television that there had been no exchange of communications with the United States before the attack.

Iran fired nearly 200 missiles at several Israeli military targets overnight, which Aragchi said could restore “geopolitical deterrence in the region.”

Iran fired 180 ballistic missiles at Israel after days of Israeli attacks on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, Israeli officials say. A large portion of the rockets were intercepted by Israeli and US defenses. Israeli officials said they knew of no casualties. Six people were killed in a terrorist attack in Tel Aviv, Israeli police said.