image copyrightEPA
April 13, 2024
Updated April 14, 2024
Iran launched a “massive swarm” of more than 300 kamikaze drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles towards Israeli territory, Israel Defense Forces spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said. According to him, the defense systems of Israel and its allies in the region intercepted the vast majority of missiles and drones. Dozens of them, he said, were shot down outside the country.
US President Joe Biden said Washington “helped Israel destroy almost all” of them.
“Iran and its proxy forces operating from Yemen, Syria and Iraq carried out an unprecedented air attack on military targets in Israel,” the head of the White House said and strongly condemned the air attack.
Biden cut short his trip to Delaware and returned to the White House as tensions rise in the Middle East.
After speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he said: “Tomorrow I will gather my fellow G7 leaders to coordinate a unified diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack.”
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the attack was aimed at “specific targets” and was carried out “in response to the repeated crimes of the Zionist regime [Израиля]including an attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus.”
According to Rear Admiral Hagari, several ballistic missiles penetrated and struck Israeli territory. One of them “lightly touched” the Nevatim Air Force base in the Negev Desert in southern Israel. According to Rear Admiral Hagari, the base “continues to function.”
On Sunday morning, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant said he had completed an assessment of the operational situation with senior defense officials.
“Together with the United States and other partners, we were able to defend the territory of the State of Israel. Very little damage was caused – this is the result of impressive IDF operations,” he said.
However, he added: “This is not the end of the campaign – we must remain vigilant and carefully follow the instructions issued by the IDF and the Home Front Command. We must be prepared for any scenario. At the same time, we repulsed the largest wave of attacks, and did it successfully.”
The Israeli ambulance service said a seven-year-old Bedouin girl was injured by shrapnel from falling debris in the southern Arad region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on the night strikes on Israeli territory as follows: “We intercepted [ракеты и беспилотники]. We blocked them. Together we will win!”
Attack completed – what Iran says
Some time after the attack began, Iran issued a statement indicating that it would not carry out further strikes, but warned Israel against retaliation and the United States against any intervention.
Photo copyright: Reuters
Iran said the operation achieved its objectives and warned of larger retaliation if Israel retaliated.
“Operation Fair Promise… was successfully completed from last night until this morning and achieved all its goals,” Iranian military chief of staff Mohammad Bagheri said in an interview with state television.
Bagheri said the retaliatory strike targeted an “intelligence center” and an airbase from which Tehran believed Israeli F-35 fighter jets took off to strike the consulate in Damascus.
“Both of these centers were significantly damaged and disabled,” he said. “We consider this operation complete and in our opinion it is over.”
Iran has not provided any evidence for its claims that the base was significantly destroyed, a claim Israeli sources deny.
Bagheri also noted that if Israel retaliated, Iran’s response would be “much larger” than the night bombing, Reuters reported.
Iran also warned Washington that Israeli retaliation would lead to attacks on American bases.
Earlier, Iran’s UN mission said it invoked the UN Charter’s provision on self-defense under Article 51 and said that after the Israeli attack, Tehran considered “this matter… closed” and warned Israel against making “another mistake.”
How the attack developed
Photo copyright: Reuters
Photo caption Iran produces many types of low-cost combat drones. They are widely used in conflicts in Ukraine and Yemen
On Saturday evening, the Israeli army reported that Iran had launched unmanned aerial vehicles into Israel, including through Iraq. Soon after, the Iranian military launched ballistic and cruise missiles.
Israel, Lebanon and Iraq closed their airspace, and Syria and Jordan put their air defense systems on alert.
The attack included 170 drones and 30 cruise missiles, none of which hit Israeli territory, and 110 ballistic missiles, a small number of which reached Israel, IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said.
Various projectiles were fired from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen and shot down by Israel, the US and France, the UK, and Jordan.
According to Rear Admiral Hagari, about 99% of the missiles and drones were intercepted either outside Israeli airspace or over the country itself.
Operating from undisclosed bases in the region, US troops shot down several Iranian drones over southern Syria near the Jordanian border.
Jordan also intercepted several incoming objects in its airspace.
British RAF Typhoon fighters were also deployed to counter the attack over Iraq and Syria, but not over Israel.
French aircraft also took part in the operation. “France has very good technology, aircraft, radars – and I know they contributed to air policing,” the IDF spokesman said.
Royal Air Force aircraft in the Middle East region “will intercept any air attacks within range” as needed, the UK MoD said. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said additional air assets, including fighter jets and refueling aircraft, had been deployed to the region.
Photo copyright: Reuters
Photo caption: After news of the attacks on Israel became known, mass protests took place on the streets of Iranian cities in support of such actions
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called Iran’s attack on Israel thoughtless and stressed that the United Kingdom “will continue to defend the security of Israel and all our regional partners.”
France also condemned Iranian strikes on Israel as a threat to regional stability.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned Iran’s attack on Israel. He called on all parties to immediately cease hostilities.
What happened before the impact
Officially, Israel did not admit its involvement in the strike. However, no one doubts the fact that it was the Israelis who were behind the attack.
Photo copyright: Reuters
photo caption: The Iranian consulate in Damascus was completely destroyed in the attack
Tehran directly placed responsibility on Israel and threatened consequences.
On the night of April 14, Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani also issued a warning to third parties – any country that “opens its airspace or territory for attacks on Iran by Israel” will face a tough response from Tehran, the semi-official Mehr agency quoted him as saying.
An Iranian strike had been expected in recent days, and the Israeli armed forces were put on high alert. On Sunday, a working day in Israel, school classes were canceled in the country.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the country is ready for a direct attack from Iran.
“We are ready for any scenario, both defensive and offensive. The State of Israel is strong. The IDF is strong. Society is strong. We appreciate that the United States stands next to Israel, that Britain, France and many other countries support us,” Netanyahu said.
