Damage to private property caused by Iran’s recent missile attack on IsraelThey amounted to between 150,000 and 200,000 million shekels (US$40 and US$53 million), according to figures provided by the Israeli tax authority.making it the costliest attack since the start of the war a year ago.
In the two weeks following the October 1 attack, some 2,500 claims were filedmore than half due to damage to apartments and several businesses in the northern vicinity of Tel Aviv.
One of the epicenters was the city of Hod Hasharon, where more than 1,000 homes were damaged.according to insurance claims.
Another damage was a commercial and residential complex near the north coast of Tel Aviv, where dozens of apartments and a restaurant were hit.. The rest of the damage was concentrated in other parts of central Israel, south of Tel Aviv, including an empty school. It is unclear how much of the damage was caused by direct hits and how much by debris that fell when missiles were intercepted.
Damage to the Tel Nof and Nevatim Israeli Air Force bases are not included in the calculations.
The Israeli Tax Authority said it has paid NIS 1.5 billion in compensation for damaged properties since October 7, 2023and estimates that payments of about 1 billion more shekels are pending, including for damages not yet claimed, mainly in northern Israel.
Some 60,000 Israelis left their homes in the northern region over the past year, when Israel’s war in Gaza began and Lebanon-based Hezbollah militants step up cross-border attacks in support of Hamas.
Hundreds of thousands of residents have also had to evacuate southern Lebanon as a result of increased fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.backed by Iran, during the last month.
The October 1 ballistic missile attack was launched by Iran in what it claimed, It was retaliation for Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut and the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.. Both Hezbollah and Hamas are classified as terrorist organizations by the United States and the European Union..
The October 1 attacks were Iran’s second direct attack on Israel, after an initial attack in April involving 300 drones and 100 ballistic missiles.
At that time, only four or five missiles managed to penetrate Israel’s air defense shield. Reports in Israel suggest that this time, Iran used advanced weaponry and that more missiles entered Israeli airspace. One person was killed near the West Bank city of Jericho and some people were slightly injured elsewhere.. More missiles increase the risk of debris falling to the ground and causing damage.
Arrow, the most advanced of Israel’s defense systems, helped the country and its allies, including the United States, intercept the bulk of approximately 200 missiles shot on October 1. The head of IAI, the Israeli manufacturer of Arrow, told Bloomberg that the system worked as expected.
However, Israeli officials declined to provide interceptions figures and the low number of casualties was also attributed to the wide availability of bomb shelters. throughout the country.
Israel has vowed to retaliate against Iran for the missile attack and has been discussing its options with the United States in recent weeks. The decision-making security cabinet met last week but has not yet voted on Israel’s response..
The visit planned last week by the Israeli Defense MinisterYoav Gallant, to Washington to meet with his American counterpart was postponed by order of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The prime minister asked to speak first with US President Joe Biden and conclude internal talks.
As of Sunday noon, no further security cabinet meetings were scheduled. of Israel.
Biden has made clear that he wants Israel to refrain from attacking Iran’s nuclear and oil facilities, which, If Israel were to accept it, it would leave it with the option of choosing between military targets or those associated with the Iranian regime..
Gallant said last week that the attack will be powerfulprecise and, above all, will contain the element of surprise. “They won’t understand what happened and how it happened,” he said.
