Videos circulating on social media on Wednesday captured the moment Israeli air defense systems intercepted a Hezbollah-launched surface-to-surface missile aimed at Tel Aviv.
Described by CNN as an unprecedented attack, this marks a new escalation in the conflict between the two sides.
This event represents the first instance where a Hezbollah missile has reached near Tel Aviv, according to the Israeli military.
The missile was launched early Wednesday morning, awakening residents in Tel Aviv and the central city of Netanya to the sounds of alarm sirens.
The Israeli military confirmed that the missile was intercepted near Tel Aviv, a metropolitan area home to over 4 million people on the Mediterranean coast.
In response, the Israeli Air Force targeted the launch platform in the Nafaqia area in southern Lebanon.
“Following the alarm sirens in Tel Aviv and Netanya, a ground-to-ground missile was identified crossing from Lebanon and was intercepted by the Israeli air defense system,” the Israeli military stated.
Israeli military spokesperson Nadav Shoshani described the missile as “heavy and long-range,” noting, “This is the first time Hezbollah has fired a missile towards Tel Aviv.”
Hezbollah, backed by Iran, confirmed that it had launched a Qadr 1 ballistic missile targeting the headquarters of the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad.
Air France announced on Tuesday that it is temporarily suspending all flights from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris to both Beirut and Tel Aviv until September 19.
The decision comes in response to heightened security concerns in the Middle East, with the airline closely monitoring the evolving situation. Operations are expected to resume following a thorough evaluation of the risks.
This suspension follows a similar move earlier in the day by Lufthansa, which halted flights to and from both Tel Aviv and Tehran, citing regional instability.
Lufthansa also confirmed that it will avoid flying over Israeli and Iranian airspace until at least Thursday.
