Alarms sound in many parts of Israel
Iran has launched armed drones and missiles at Israel, signaling a new, more volatile phase in the Middle East conflict. The attack was retaliation for an attack in Syria that killed a senior Iranian military officer and was the first time Iran has attacked Israel from its soil.
Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said earlier on Sunday that most of the more than 200 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and attack drones launched by Iran were intercepted before landing with the help of Israel’s allies. The only impact was a serious injury to a 10-year-old girl and minor damage to a military base, he said. Hagari earlier called the attack from Iran a “serious and dangerous escalation.”
U.S. President Joe Biden spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the aftermath of the Iranian attack. Biden, who returned to the White House from his private residence in Delaware on Saturday, said in a post on X that the United States’ commitment to Israel’s security was “ironclad.”
Iran’s mission to the United Nations said the action was a “legitimate” defensive response to the Damascus attack – which Israel has not admitted carrying out – and suggested it was a warning. It also warned the United States to stay away from conflict.
The Iranian delegation posted on social media that “the matter can be considered closed.” “However, if the Israeli regime makes another mistake, Iran’s response will be even harsher.”
Multiple alarms were sounded in various locations in Israel: Jerusalem, Beersheba and Dimona in the south, and the Jewish settlement of Ariel in the West Bank. Jerusalem residents reported hearing explosions. Alerts were also sounded in northern Israel. The Israel Defense Forces said it had cut off GPS services in some areas to help counter the attack.
A U.S. defense official confirmed that U.S. forces in the region shot down an Iranian drone targeting Israel. Another U.S. official familiar with the matter said the U.S. considered the military response to the Iranian attack a success.
The British Ministry of Defense said it would deploy Royal Air Force jets to intercept Iranian drones headed for Israel if necessary.
Over the past fifteen years, Israel has significantly upgraded its air defenses, adding new systems that can intercept ballistic missiles launched from as far as 2,400 kilometers (1,500 miles). The scope includes Yemen, Syria and Iraq, where armed groups are allied with those countries. Iran is the base and Iran.
Israel’s most active and best-known air defense system is the Iron Dome, which has intercepted thousands of rockets fired by Palestinian militants in Gaza since 2011. But Iron Dome is designed for short-range missiles and drones, and is just one type of advanced missile. – Defense systems in place.
Israel also possesses medium- and long-range interceptors known as “David’s Sling” and the “Arrow” defense system.
Condemn the attack
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was one of the first leaders to respond to the Iranian attack. Sunak said in a statement: “The UK will continue to safeguard the security of Israel and all regional partners, including Jordan and Iraq.” France, Germany and the European Union also condemned Iran’s actions.
So did U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, citing the risk of a “devastating regional escalation.” Israel calls for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
The Group of Seven developed countries planned to hold a video call later Sunday to discuss the attack, according to officials familiar with the matter.
The attack intensified the Middle East conflict that began on October 7 when thousands of Hamas operatives crossed into Israel from Gaza, killing about 1,200 people and kidnapping 250 others. A direct conflict between Iran and Israel could involve Lebanon-based Hezbollah. For example, Hamas is supported by Iran, which increases the possibility of a regional war.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has repeatedly warned that Israel will be “punished” for the deadly April 1 attack in Damascus that destroyed the Islamic Republic’s consulate building and killed at least 13 people, including seven Iranian military personnel personnel. Israel did not claim responsibility for the attack, consistent with its usual response to accusations against Iran.
Recent history shows that any attack will be measured against the actions that Iran’s adversaries are likely to take next. For example, when the United States killed Islamic Revolutionary Guard General Qasem Soleimani in 2020, Iran chose to conduct non-lethal attacks on military bases.
Israeli officials have said Iranian leaders should expect counterattacks if their country is attacked, although Israel may weigh what it describes as the failure of Iranian attacks in choosing a response.
Iran has tried to be cautious about its role in hostilities by allied armed groups abroad. That policy became more difficult after Hamas attacked Israel and triggered a protracted war in Gaza. Yemen’s Houthi rebels have used this as an excuse to launch missile attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, while Hezbollah has been engaged in almost daily exchanges of fire across the border with Israel since the invasion.
