Israeli police reported that at least six individuals were killed and twelve others injured in a shooting incident that occurred in Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening. The shooting took place on a boulevard in the Jaffa neighborhood, where two suspects opened fire and were subsequently killed by police.
The attack coincided with a significant missile barrage launched from Iran, which prompted sirens across Israel and sent residents into bomb shelters, including those in Tel Aviv. The Israeli MDA ambulance service received notifications of gunfire injuries at approximately 7:01 p.m.
In response to the attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his condolences to the families of the victims in Jaffa and wished for a swift recovery for the injured, during a statement addressing the Iranian missile threat.
Israeli forensic teams were on-site in Jaffa to investigate the shooting, which unfolded right before Iran retaliated with nearly 200 ballistic missiles aimed at Israel, sparking alarms in the region. U.S. officials reported that American naval destroyers assisted Israel in intercepting the incoming missiles.
After a tense hour, the Israeli military declared the situation safe, allowing citizens to exit shelters following the successful interception of many Iranian missiles. There were no reports of Israeli civilian casualties in the aftermath.
The missile attacks from Iran occurred just hours after a senior official in the White House conveyed to CBS News that the U.S. had indications of an imminent Iranian missile launch aimed at Israel. This warning followed Israel’s announcement of “limited, localized, and targeted ground raids” against the Iran-supported group Hezbollah in Lebanon.