image source, Reuters
Photo caption, Israel resorted to its powerful anti-missile system to repel the attack.Article information
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April 13, 2024
Iran launched an unprecedented drone and missile offensive against Israel, a widely anticipated retaliatory strike and a new escalation in the Middle East confrontation.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard confirmed the attack, according to a statement in which it said it had launched “dozens of drones and missiles.”
In Jerusalem, hours after the launch, sirens began to be heard and explosions were seen over the sky as what appeared to be the Israeli defense system neutralizing the attack.
The Iranian statement indicated that the offensive is related to Israel’s “repeated crimes,” including the April 1 bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damascus for which Tehran blamed the Israeli government and in which several Iranian military commanders were killed.
This Saturday’s attack was called by Iran as “Operation True Promise” and justified by its right to exercise “legitimate defense.”
Israeli Army spokesman Daniel Hagari said Iran launched “more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles,” but added that the Israeli defense system and allies in the region intercepted “the vast majority,” many of them. before they entered Israeli territory.
Hagari said there are reports of one person injured and a military base damaged.
Iran suggested there will be no more attacks but warned of possible consequences if Israel decides to respond.
In recent hours, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the country’s “defensive systems” had been deployed to confront the Iranian offensive:
“We are prepared for any scenario, both defensive and offensive. The state of Israel is strong. The Israel Defense Forces are strong. The people are strong.”
“We appreciate that the US stands with Israel, in addition to the support of the United Kingdom, France and many other countries,” added Netanyahu, who convened his war cabinet.
What do we know so far
- Iran launched an attack with dozens of drones and missiles on Israeli territory in response to the bombing of the Iranian consulate in Syria on April 1, attributed to Israel
- In Israel, sirens and explosions were heard from Israeli defenses intercepting objects in the sky
- The United States said it shot down drones flying toward Israel.
- Iran had warned that Israel would be “punished” for the attack on its consulate in Damascus
- Seven members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, including two generals, were killed in the attack for which Israel never claimed responsibility.
- Joe Biden, president of the United States, a great ally of Israel, said he will do everything “I can to protect Israel’s security”
- Iran had avoided direct confrontation with Israel during the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, but the attack in Syria was seen by Tehran as a serious escalation.
- Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military is “prepared for any scenario.”
image copyrightGettty Images
image captionIsraeli defense systems intercepted most of the devices.
“Unwavering support”
US President Joe Biden suspended his vacation in Delaware and met with his National Security Council to assess the situation.
Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said: “President Biden has been clear: our support for Israel’s security is unwavering. The US will stand with the people of Israel and support their defense against threats from Iran.” .
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned the Iranian attack.
“Once again, Iran demonstrates that its intention is to sow chaos in its own backyard. The United Kingdom will continue to support Israel and all our allies in the region, including Jordan and Iraq,” the prime minister said.
closed skies
Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq closed their airspace.
The attack came after days of tension following a bombing of Iran’s consulate in Syria in which a senior Iranian military officer was killed.
Iran accused Israel of this attack, but Netanyahu’s government neither confirmed nor ruled out its participation in the operation in which a total of 13 people died.
Jonathan Conricus, a former spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces, told the BBC that “this is day one of the new Middle East: for the first time Iran is attacking Israel directly from sovereign Iranian soil.”
Tension between the two great regional rivals has intensified since the start of the war in Gaza on October 7 last year.
“I think Israel is good at planning military contingencies, but they don’t always excel at the strategic part. I think there are some plans on file that point to targets in Iran,” Conricus added.
Tit for tat risks escalating into a regional war
Analysis by Frank Gardner, BBC News Security Correspondent
This is exactly the escalation that everyone feared in the simmering conflict between Iran and its allies and Israel: a direct attack from one country to another.
For nearly two weeks, Iran’s security forces have been mulling over their response to the April 1 airstrike on its consulate in Damascus, widely believed to be the work of Israel and in which several top Iranian commanders were killed.
Clearly, the decision was reached that such an important step – an attack that brought down a diplomatic building and, therefore, sovereign Iranian territory – required a forceful response.
Israel has several air defenses and has promised to respond to any attack on its territory, and it will do so.
The risk now is that this tit-for-tat will continue to escalate into a full-blown regional war, something that most governments in the region have been trying hard to avoid since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on the 7th. October.
image caption, Scenes of celebration were seen in Tehran after the attack was reported.
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