First question of US presidential debate focused on Mideast crisis
The first question posed to Vice Presidential candidates, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, during the debate was focused on escalating tensions in the Middle East after Iran launched hundreds of missiles on Israel.
When asked about whether either candidate supports or opposes a pre-emptive strike by Israel on Iran, both voiced support for Israel but disagreed on how the US should deal with Iran.
Walz focused on the importance of steady leadership and took aim at Presidential candidate Donald Trump.
"What's fundamental here is that steady leadership is going to matter. It's clear, and the world saw it on that debate stage a few weeks ago, a nearly 80-year-old Donald Trump talking about crowd sizes is not what we need in this moment," said Walz.
Vance opened up by talking about his upbringing and his mother's drug addiction. Vance later went on to say that he supports whatever Israel decides when it comes to pre-emptive strikes.
"Donald Trump actually delivered stability in the world, and he did it by establishing effective deterrence. People were afraid of stepping out of line. Iran, which launched this attack, has received over $100 billion in unfrozen assets thanks to the Kamala Harris administration. What do they use that money for?" asked Vance.
First question of US presidential debate focused on Mideast crisis | Iran International
As hundreds of missiles rained across Israel's skies, 40-year-old Itai Reuveni, an Israeli of Iranian descent, sought refuge in a bomb shelter with his family as his nation was attacked by the very country which was once his parents’ homeland.
A strange concept but a reality for the IDF reservist combat soldier belonging to the elite Paratroopers Brigade, who jumped into action on October 7, along with his unit stationed up north against the threat of Hezbollah.
He heard ‘endless booms’ as Tehran reportedly fired more than 200 missiles in a wave of launches in retaliation for the killing of Hamas and Hezbollah’s leaders.
The IRGC announced it had struck "the heart of Israel" in retaliation for the killings of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and IRGC's top regional commander Abbas Nilforoushan. "If Israel responds to the Islamic Republic's operation, it will face devastating attacks," the statement said.
While Iran launched missiles, a terrorist attack unfolded in Tel Aviv, with at least eight people killed by gunfire. It is not known at this time if those attacks were coordinated, though the timing does appear to be suspicious.
One person, a Palestinian, has been killed in Iran’s strike against Israel, according to local reports.
Israeli Military Spokesperson said Tuesday this attack was serious and will have consequences. According to CNN, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also described the attack as “ineffective”, referring to it as a “significant escalation” by Iran.
Despite the ongoing animosity between Iran and Israel, Itai feels deeply connected to his Iranian roots and culture while he sees himself as a proud Israeli ready to defend his nation -- even against his parent’s country of birth.
In an interview with Iran International, Itai said it’s important to make a clear distinction between the people of Iran and its government.
His father left Iran as a young child in the 1950s, a few short years after the establishment of the State of Israel. His mother, Diana, on the other hand, had a much different journey to Israel. Having fled Iran during the 1979 Islamic Revolution, she had to rebuild her life from scratch as a 27-year-old chemist with no command of Hebrew.
Itai Reuveni pictured as a baby with his mother Diana.
The establishment of the Islamic Republic had changed her life in a flash.
Diana’s parents stayed in Iran where her father, Itai’s grandfather, was arrested and jailed because his daughter and eventually other children escaped to Israel. It wasn’t until Itai was a teenager that he met his maternal grandparents in Israel.
Photo of Itai's mother Diana receiving an award from the late Shah for her academic achievements.
Itai, who studied Iranian studies and Political Science, specializes in civil society, terrorism and the Middle East – working at nonprofit ‘NGO Monitor’ when the country is not in a time of war.
Having served in the North, fighting Hezbollah, and being of Iranian origin, he offers an inside look and unique perspective into what it’s like for Israelis and what could unfold next after the Islamic Republic's strike
How everything changed after Nasrallah
Since Oct 7, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been trying to maneuver a multi-front war, the Iran threat and pressures from the United States and Europe demanding a ceasefire – to put an end to the war against Hamas, said Itai over a zoom interview with Iran International.
But he said everything changed last week when Israel launched a targeted strike, killing Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Itai viewed this as a turning point, marking the collapse of Iran’s proxy deterrence. What Iran had reportedly invested billions in over decades was largely dismantled from top to bottom.
“I think that's a historic point. It's exactly like October 7th was a very negative historic point. But what happened in the past week is going to change the interactions in the Middle East.”
The destruction of one of Iran’s biggest proxies, he believes, changes the balance of power in the region, destroys Iran’s deterrence strategy and leaves the Iranian government vulnerable.
Prior to that, Israel’s use of pagers and walk-talkie loaded with explosives left Hezbollah operatives reeling. That’s when Itai knew the Israeli government’s policy and war tactic was changing.
“I think they're in shock. They don't understand how we destroyed their greatest asset in their international politics.”
Itai said Israel finally reached a breaking point, declaring, “enough is enough.” He sensed that Israelis felt trapped in a cycle of violence where diplomacy had no impact, and border skirmishes and missile strikes offered no resolution, leaving people on both sides stuck in a constant state of conflict.
The attacks are an effort to prevent Hezbollah from continuing to fire rockets at northern Israel, which it has been doing since the war against Hamas. Israel's airstrikes are continuing to widen, and their military started a ground invasion on Monday.
“We are removing the gloves, and we don't care what others will say. And I think it showed. We eliminated one of the biggest command structures of the biggest terror organizations in the world. We celebrated it, the Lebanese celebrated, the Syrians, the Iranians. All the people that are affected by this, by the behavior and the activities of Hezbollah,” he said.
Taking out the leader of Hezbollah, Itai said, showed a dramatic shift in Isarel’s policy to take matters into their own hands and send a clear message to its boss: the Ayatollahs in Iran.
It also sent a clear message to the United States that Israel was no longer yielding to pressure for a ceasefire and was prepared to chart its own course.
Going after someone high-level like Nasrallah also means the fear surrounding him diminished in the eyes of the public.
Itai said Nasrallah was often seen as the “big bad wolf,” and that eliminating him helped to dispel the myth around him being untouchable and in turn injected positive energy into Israeli society. Something he said Israel hasn’t felt since Oct 7.
“With all the sadness of the hostages, with all the sadness that we are still at war. And we have 200,000 people that left their homes in the north and in the south. Still, it was a boost of energy. And I think not only for us, for many other people in the region,” he added.
The Middle East, Itai said, looks to Israel for support to help dismantle the Islamic Republic, which many Arab countries also see as an extensional threat.
“Other countries look on us and understand that if we will not stop this momentum of murderous terror organizations that is raping and mutilating people, they will be next. Everyone looks upon us.”
"Our joint defenses have been effective, and this operation and successful cooperation saved many innocent lives." Kamala Harris told reporters on Tuesday.
"I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist militias," Harris said. "We will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend US forces and interests against Iran and Iran backed terrorists."
“Iran made a big mistake tonight, and it will pay for it,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a Hebrew language video statement, saying that its missile attack on the Jewish state had failed.
"The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our resolve to retaliate against our enemies ... They will understand. We will stand by the principle we have set: Whoever attacks us, we will attack them."
Projectiles fly in the sky after Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles at Israel, as seen from southern Lebanon, October 1, 2024Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel, October 1, 2024
The United States and Israel said they were working together to ensure Iran faces a harsh comeuppance for its attack on the Jewish state with some 200 ballistic missiles on Tuesday, in an unprecedented salvo the US helped fend off.
“Iran made a big mistake tonight, and it will pay for it,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a Hebrew language video statement, saying that its missile attack on the Jewish state had failed.
"The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our resolve to retaliate against our enemies ... They will understand. We will stand by the principle we have set: Whoever attacks us, we will attack them."
Earlier in the day, air raid sirens sounded across the length and breadth of Israel shortly after the US announced it had informed Israel of indications that Iran was prepared to launch the attack imminently
Israel briefly closed its air space has missile defense systems lit up the night skies over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem but some other unverified images from social media appeared to show projectiles slamming into the ground in Israel.
The United States said it was working with Israel on meting out a response.
"We will consult with the Israelis on next steps in terms of the response", US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said, saying that US naval destroyers helped counter the incoming fire.
"We have made clear that there will be consequences, severe consequences for this attack, and we will work with Israel to make that the case," adding that the attack was "defeated and ineffective".
The Israeli military put the number of incoming Iranian missiles at around 200.
Local news reports indicated a Palestinian in the Jericho area of the Israeli-occupied West Bank was killed after the Israel military said it had no immediate indications of any injuries or deaths.
US Vice President and Democratic Presidential hopeful warned Iran or its armed allies against attacking US forces in the region.
"I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist militias," Harris told reporters. "We will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend US forces and interests against Iran and Iran backed terrorists".
"Legal, rational, and legitimate"
Iran described the assault as a legitimate response to Israeli attacks on its citizens and interests.
"Iran’s legal, rational, and legitimate response to the terrorist acts of the Zionist regime—which involved targeting Iranian nationals and interests and infringing upon the national sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran—has been duly carried out," Iran's mission to the United Nations said in a post on X.
"Should the Zionist regime dare to respond or commit further acts of malevolence, a subsequent and crushing response will ensue. Regional states and the Zionists’ supporters are advised to part ways with the regime."
In the run-up to the attack, US Central Command, the military grouping responsible for the Middle East, announced that three more aircraft squadrons including F-15, F-16, and A-10 war planes were arriving in the region and that one has already arrived.
Oil prices jumped nearly $6 dollars from session lows to top $72 a barrel before settling in later trading, in a sign of trepidation about the key oil transit way through the Strait of Hormuz straddling Iran.
Israel launched what it called a limited ground incursion into Lebanon on Monday which it said aims to dislodge Hezbollah from border villages firing rockets at Northern Israeli communities.
Israel has for two weeks been landing increasingly devastating blows against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, killing its leader Hassan Nasrallah in aerial bombardment on Beirut on Friday.
The attacks have killed up to a 1,000 people including many civilians but also much of Hezbollah's senior leadership and rank and file fighters.
A top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an explosion Tehran in July in an assassination widely blamed on Israel.
Iran in April launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel in its first direct attack on Israeli territory in retaliation for an Israeli air strike on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Damascus.
The United States, Western and Arab powers helped Israel fend off that attack.
Iran and its armed allies throughout the region have been confronting Israel since Palestinian Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7.
