U.S. confirms interceptor missile use in Iran-Israel clash

TEL AVIV, Israel — A senior U.S. official confirmed Tuesday that American forces deployed interceptor missiles during the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, adding that evaluation was ongoing regarding which side launched the projectiles that were intercepted. The official said U.S. forces utilized missile defense systems during the engagement, and that an investigation was continuing into the type and origin of the intercepted projectiles. The developments came as Tehran announced military operations targeting northern Israel following an Israeli air strike on southern Beirut suburbs. Israel said the Beirut strike hit a command and planning center belonging to Iran-backed Hezbollah. The mutual exchanges between the two sides began Sunday night and continued into Tuesday. U.S. military presence and interception capability in the region have been cited as factors helping prevent the conflict from spreading to a wider area.