Explosions are seen in the skies over the capital, following the Iranian attack on Tel Aviv, Israel, on April 14, 2024.
Mostafa Alkharouf Anatolia Getty Images
Iran launched a swarm of explosive drones and fired missiles at Israel on Saturday in its first ever direct attack on Israeli territory, risking a serious escalation as the United States pledged “armour” support to Israel.
Sirens screamed and Reuters journalists in Israel said they heard loud thuds and bangs in the distance coming from what local media called aerial intercepts of explosive drones. The ambulance service said there were no immediate reports of casualties.
The Israeli military said more than 100 drones had been launched from Iran, with security sources in Iraq and Jordan reporting seeing some flying overhead and US officials saying the US military had shot down some some.
Israeli television Channel 12 quoted an unnamed Israeli official as saying there would be a “significant response” to the attack.
Iran’s state news agency cited a source as saying its military also launched a wave of ballistic missiles. The Israeli military also said missiles were fired, but there were no immediate reports of these attacks in Israel.
Iran vowed retaliation for what it called an Israeli attack on its consulate in Damascus on April 1 that killed seven Guard officers, including two senior commanders, and said its attack was retribution for “crimes Israelis”. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the attack on the consulate.
“Should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran’s response will be significantly more severe,” the Iranian mission to the United Nations said, warning the United States to “stay away.” However, he also said that Iran now “considers the matter concluded.”
US President Joe Biden, who had warned Iran of an attack on Friday, cut short a visit to his home state of Delaware to meet with national security advisers in the White House Situation Room, he said an official. He has pledged to stand with Israel.
The Gaza war between Israel and Hamas, now in its seventh month, has increased tensions in the region, spreading to the Lebanese and Syrian fronts and drawing long-range fire on Israeli targets from as far away as Yemen and Iraq.
British maritime security firm Ambrey said in a statement that drones were also reportedly launched against Israel by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group.
These clashes now threaten to escalate into an open and direct conflict pitting Iran and its regional allies against Israel and its main backer, the United States, with regional power Egypt urging “maximum restraint.”
US and British warplanes were involved in shooting down some Israel-bound drones over the Iraq-Syria border area, Channel 12 reported. Three US officials said the US military shot down drone planes without saying how many.
Escalation
“This is a serious and dangerous escalation. Our defensive and offensive capabilities are at the highest level of readiness ahead of this large-scale attack by Iran,” said Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose official plane took off shortly after the attack began, convened the war cabinet at a military headquarters in Tel Aviv, his office said.
The Israeli military said sirens will sound in all threatened areas and that its defenses are ready to deal with the drones, which it says are “explosive”.
“We are used to having about 20 seconds to reach the shelters when the missiles arrive. Here the alarm comes hours in advance. This naturally increases the level of anxiety among the Israeli public,” said Nir Dvori, a television correspondent for Channel 12 on social media.
Explosions are seen in the skies over the capital, following the Iranian attack on Tel Aviv, Israel, on April 14, 2024.
Mostafa Alkharouf Anatolia Getty Images
The Israeli military has told residents of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights to stay near air raid shelters, putting the area on standby for the possible impact of drone strikes.
Israel and Lebanon said they would close their airspace on Saturday evening. Jordan, which lies between Iran and Israel, has set up air defenses to intercept any drone or missile violating its territory, two regional security sources said.
Residents in several Jordanian cities said they heard strong aerial activity.
Iran’s ally Syria said it was putting its surface-to-air defense systems around the capital and major bases on high alert, army sources said.
Condemnation
The European Union, Britain, France, Mexico, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands all condemned Iran’s attack.
Israel has been preparing for an Iranian response to the attack on the Damascus consulate since last week, when Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Israel “must be punished and will be punished” for an operation he called equivalent to that on Iranian soil.
Biden said Friday that his only message to Iran was “Don’t do it,” but added that “we are devoted to the defense of Israel.”
Iran’s main ally in the region, the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, has had a firefight with Israel since the Gaza war began on October 7, and said on Sunday morning it had fired rockets at an Israeli base.
On Saturday, Iranian state news agency IRNA reported that a Guard helicopter had boarded and flown the Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries into Iranian waters.
MSC, which operates the Aries, confirmed that Iran had seized the ship and said it was working “with the relevant authorities” for its safe return and the well-being of its 25 crew members.
MSC leases the Aries from Gortal Shipping, an affiliate of Zodiac Maritime, Zodiac said in a statement, adding that MSC is responsible for all activities of the vessel. Zodiac is partly owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz accused Iran of piracy.