WASHINGTON

By firing a barrage of missiles at Israel, Iran has carried out a "legal, rational, and legitimate response" to Israel, Tehran's mission to the UN said on Tuesday.

"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," the mission said on X.

The statement came right after Iran fired hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel amid heightened tensions between the two regional arch-rivals.

"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," the mission added.

Separately, in a preliminary statement, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRCG) said the attack was in response to the recent assassinations of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and IRGC commander Abbas Nilforoshan.​​​​​​​