### Iran Launches Missile Attack on Israel Following Hezbollah Leader's Killing

Iran has launched a series of missile strikes against Israel, targeting key cities including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa. The unprecedented assault saw dozens of missiles fill the skies, with sirens blaring across the country in response. Iranian state media reported that the attack was retaliatory, coming after the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other key figures, as per the directives of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The missile barrage comes on the heels of a U.S. warning about an imminent Iranian attack aimed at Israel. This follows Israel’s recent ground operations in southern Lebanon against Iran-backed Hezbollah forces. Israeli officials have characterized their maneuvers in Lebanon as "localized raids" and denied any intention to occupy the region long-term. They also revealed that similar cross-border operations have been ongoing since last year.

From Tabriz and Kashan to the outskirts of Tehran, Iranian missile launch sites spanned significant geographic locations. Videos circulating on social media depicted dramatic scenes of rockets illuminating the night sky. Iran’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations confirmed the strikes, describing them as a "legal, rational, and legitimate response" to what it termed the terrorist actions of Israel.

Iran's mission warned that any Israeli retaliation would be met with an even fiercer response, further advising regional states and supporters of Israel to distance themselves from what it called the Zionist regime. The IRGC declared that the strikes specifically targeted what they described as "the heart of the occupied territories."

In Israel, emergency measures were promptly taken, with the security cabinet moving to a bunker in Jerusalem. CNN's teams on the ground noted significant impacts in Tel Aviv, with some explosions occurring near the city’s shoreline. Jim Sciutto, reporting from a shelter in Tel Aviv, noted multiple interceptions in the sky but was uncertain whether the impacts were direct missile strikes or fragments from intercepted missiles landing.

U.S. President Joe Biden convened an urgent meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris and national security advisors to discuss the escalating situation. The U.S. has vowed to help Israel defend itself and safeguard American personnel in the region. Biden reiterated the United States' readiness to assist Israel via multiple social media postings.

This latest outbreak of hostilities marks a serious escalation in regional tensions, as Iranian missiles continue to arc over Israeli cities, suggesting a new and dangerous phase in Middle Eastern conflicts may be underway.