Iran's Revolutionary Guards have warned of "crushing attacks" on Israel if it retaliates for the missile strike launched by Iran on Tuesday. "If the Zionist regime responds to Iranian operations, it will face devastating attacks," said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in a statement published by the Fars news agency.

The IRGC claimed the missile strike was justified "in accordance with the United Nations Charter" and followed a period of restraint in response to what they called an "attack on the sovereignty" of Iran. This refers to the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in late July.

On Tuesday evening, Iranian forces fired a barrage of missiles targeting Tel Aviv, Iran's state media reported. The United States had warned earlier of an impending Iranian ballistic missile attack on Israel, promising "severe" consequences for Tehran. Iranian media aired footage showing missiles being fired, accompanied by triumphant music, as the broadcaster praised "the brave Iranian people."

This marks the second missile strike by Iran on Israel in six months, following a missile and drone attack in April in response to an Israeli airstrike on Iran’s consulate in Damascus. Most of those earlier missiles and drones were intercepted by Israel and its allies.

Last week, an Israeli airstrike in Beirut killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and General Abbas Nilforoushan, a top commander of Iran’s Quds Force. Iran has vowed that Nilforoushan's death will not go unanswered.

At the UN General Assembly in September, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused Israel of inciting war while Iran exercised restraint. He hinted that Iran had held back retaliation for Haniyeh’s killing, believing in US-backed efforts to secure a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict. However, by Sunday, Pezeshkian dismissed the promises of a ceasefire as false, stating that allowing Israel to continue its actions without response would only lead to further crimes.

Iran, which does not recognize Israel, has centered its foreign policy on supporting the Palestinian cause since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. While Tehran celebrated Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel, which triggered the Gaza war, it denied direct involvement. The Gaza conflict has heightened regional tensions, drawing in Iran-aligned groups from Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen.

AFP