In a dramatic intensification of the Middle East conflict, the Israeli military claimed to have shot down nearly all of Iran’s more than 300 drones and missiles. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged that his nation would prevail on Sunday.
The potential for a wider regional confrontation was elevated by Tehran’s attacks late on Saturday, which were initiated in response to an alleged Israeli air raid on its embassy compound in Damascus on April 1 that resulted in the deaths of officers of the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
In order to demonstrate support for the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the ongoing Gaza conflict with Israel, which has not ended despite multiple attempts at mediation, Iran has depended on its proxies around the area to strike Israeli and American targets.
“We were able to intercept, we repelled, and together we shall win,” Netanyahu posted on X.
More than 99% of the Iranian drones and missiles were shot down, according to the Israeli military, which was also considering its options.
An unidentified Israeli official was quoted by Israel’s Channel 12 TV as stating that there would be a “strong response” to the attack.
Tensions in the region have escalated due to the war in Gaza, which Israel invaded on October 7 in response to an offensive by Hamas, which is backed by Iran. The conflict has stretched to the fronts with Lebanon and Syria and drawn artillery fire from as far away as Yemen and Iraq toward Israeli targets.
Hezbollah, a Shi’ite organization based in Lebanon that has been engaged in gunfire with Israel since the start of the Gaza War, is Iran’s most potent regional ally. Early on Sunday, Hezbollah reported that it had fired rockets against an Israeli base.
According to a statement from British marine security business Ambrey, Yemen’s Houthi militia, which is affiliated with Iran and has assaulted commercial lanes in and around the Red Sea to demonstrate support for Hamas, has also apparently fired drones against Israel.
These confrontations now pose a threat of turning into an open confrontation between Israel and the United States, Israel’s principal backer, and Iran and its regional allies. Egypt, a regional power, called for “utmost prudence.”
Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, the chief military spokesperson for Israel, described Iran’s activities as “extremely grave” and said they “push the area toward escalation” during a televised briefing.
Many of Iran’s ground-to-ground missiles, including over ten cruise missiles, were intercepted outside of Israeli boundaries, according to Hagari.
One Israeli military personnel suffered minor damage from the Iranian fire.
The Israeli military said it was not advising residents to prepare to take shelter, revising an earlier alert in an apparent signal of the end of the threat.
Iran has threatened retaliation for an Israeli strike on its embassy compound, killing seven Revolutionary Guard officers. The strike was deemed punishment for “Israeli crimes.”. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the attack. The Iranian mission to the UN warned the US to stay away, but Iran has now declared the matter concluded.
US President Joe Biden will convene a meeting of the leaders of the Group of Seven major economies to coordinate a diplomatic response. The U.N. Security Council is set to meet after Israel requested it condemn Iran’s attack and designate the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization. Iran is closely monitoring Jordan, which might become the next target in the event of any moves in support of Israel.
Israel and Lebanon closed their airspace on Saturday night, while Jordan prepared air defenses to intercept any drone or missile that violated its territory.
(Reuters)
