Iran’s 180-Ballistic Missile Strike on Israel is the Largest Single Missile Attack in History

On October 1, 2024, Iran rained a set of 180 ballistic missiles on Israel. This was ordered by Major General Hossein Salami of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) under the auspices of the regime[1]. Since the attack, an air of unease has filled the region, and everyone is speculating on how Israel will respond to this attack. However, before any retaliation happens, it is worth documenting the implications of firing almost 200 ballistic missiles at a member state of the United Nations. This article identifies the implications and scope of Iran’s October 1 ballistic missile attacks on Israel.

First of all, this is the largest non-war ballistic missile strike on a sovereign state in history. It is also the largest single ballistic missile attack in history. Neither Iran nor Israel have declared war on each other. They have been involved in a series of proxy wars since the regime came into power in Tehran in 1979.

The magnitude of this ballistic missile attack is extreme. These ballistic missiles are as big as school buses and can be fitted with more deadly bombs that can cause mass destruction.

During the eight-year Iran-Iraq War from 1980 to 1988, Iran fired only 117 ballistic missiles at its opponent[2]. However, in a period of a few minutes, Iran was able to fire as many as 180 missiles, which constitutes 50% more than what it fired in almost a decade in a fatal war of its survival.

What this means is that Iran’s missile system must be taken seriously. For the country to be able to fire so many missiles in a short time, it is apparent that they cannot be considered a mild threat anymore. Iran showed their intention of destabilizing the region and exporting their ideology at the onset of the 1979 Revolution. Since then, they have been involved in many armed conflicts in the region.

In more recent times, Iran fired directly into Syria during their civil war against opposition areas. They are known to supply allied governments and militant groups with these ballistic missiles. Among them are the Assad regime and the Houthis, whose core is a tribe of small tribe of a few people. Yet, the Houthis have ballistic missiles built with hardware and technology that few states possess. Clearly, Iran’s involvement in organizing and weaponizing the Houthis cannot be denied.

Furthermore, Iran is alleged to be supplying Russia with ballistic missiles to fight in Ukraine[3]. If this is true, then the threat of Iran is serious and its brazen strike on Israel shows what they can do to the rest of the region if they are not held under a leash.

A country that provides vital military infrastructure to a global superpower cannot be taken for granted. They have an agenda and seek to consolidate it. Among the many issues relating to the risk of Iran getting deadly weapons of mass destruction is the fact that they have certain tendencies to issue claims that are believed to have divine authority.

Indeed, Hassan Nasrallah, who was executed by the Israeli military on September 27, 2024, was considered by his followers to be beyond questioning. If Hassan Nasrallah had ordered his militants to stop firing at Israel, they would have stopped firing at Israel. If he had told them to withdraw all weapons in civilian homes, they would have done so.

Iran operates on a similar model, which is now on a level that is now too dangerous to be tolerated. The October 1 ballistic missile attack on Israel is an evidential proof of this trend. They have shown they can expand their threats and destabilizing behaviors to every country in the Persian Gulf region. And with submarine capabilities, Iran can launch these ballistic missiles off the coast of North America, Europe, and anywhere in the world.

Therefore, it is conclusive that Iran’s destabilizing tendencies and its growing military arsenal are no longer the concern of Binyamin Netanyahu. Anyone supporting part of Iran’s actions in the region could someday be asked to toe the line of Iran because the same military might unleash on Israel now can be unleashed on them.

That means Iranian encirclement is problematic. And it creates a more urgent problem than Israel's internal politics. The Palestinian issue can be fixed fairly easily. Such a move will support peaceful coexistence with Israel, which has never exhibited expansionist tendencies beyond the biblical borders of the historic Israelite commonwealth 3,000 years ago.

However, Iran, with its authoritarian and unilateral decision-making tendencies, poses an unpredictable trend. And until something is done to contain them, no one is safe – including those cheering Iran’s actions today.

It is worth mentioning that Iran's October 1 attack did not affect any Israeli citizen – Jew or Muslim. Rather, an unfortunate Palestinian man from Gaza living in the West Bank was killed by the Iranian ballistic missiles. His name is Sameh al-Asali, a 37-year-old Arab Muslim laborer who was originally from Jabalia in the Gaza Strip[4].

When one extends the picture, Iran’s aggression in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Sudan, Libya, Yemen, and other conflicts far and wide has led to more than 1 million deaths since 2011. Many of those killed by Iran’s offensive military actions are Muslims and Arabs. This shows that Iran’s challenges and problems are not limited to Israel. They hide behind their enmity with Israel to paint a legitimate image. Yet, beneath their masks, they are destructive and have little concern for human life and dignity.

In conclusion, the Iranian attacks on Israel got some people cheering. However, when one looks at the military and sociopolitical elements of the October 1 ballistic strike, Iran is much more problematic than it looks. Their unilateral and authoritarian tendencies make them a major risk. And it is necessary for all countries in the region to rise up for greater values of democracy, prosperity, and human dignity. This requires cooperation and partnership to defeat a highly problematic neighbor with motivations that can cause a lot more death and destruction than what they have done already.

[1] Jiyar Gol. Iran gambles with Israel attack after humiliating blows to allies. Published: October 1, 2024. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1m93l9krgro

[2] Missile Defense Advocacy. "Combat Launches". Available at: https://missiledefenseadvocacy.org/missile-threat-and-proliferation/combat-missile-launches/

[3] Aamer Madhani & Zeke Miller. US believes Iran has transferred short-range ballistic missiles to Russia, AP sources say. Published: September 7, 2024. Available at: https://apnews.com/article/russia-iran-ukraine-ballistic-missiles-us-intelligence-1e637abe11396989c641fa5bf3f57b24

[4] The New Arab. Iran missile shrapnel kills Palestinian in West Bank - Governor. Published: October 2, 2024. Available at: https://www.newarab.com/news/iran-missile-shrapnel-kills-palestinian-west-bank-governor