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Jerusalem: Infuriated with the Israel-Hamas war and Israel allegedly carrying out an air strike at Syria’s Damascus killing seven officers including two senior commanders belonging to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Tehran last night launched over 200 explosive drones at Israel in its first ever direct attack on Israeli territory, risking a major escalation as the United States pledged “ironclad” backing for Israel.
Sirens began to wail and journalists in Israel said they heard distant thunder and explosions, which local media said was an aerial interception of explosive drones. Several videos of the drone attack have been going viral on social media in which sirens and loud booms can be heard in the sky over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
This is first ever direct attack by Iran on Israeli territory despite the United States extending ‘ironclad’ backing for the Jerusalem. Officials reported that a 7-year-old girl sustained critical injuries. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for Israel’s military, stated that Iran launched numerous ground-to-ground missiles including around 10 cruise missiles towards Israel, the majority of which were successfully intercepted before reaching Israeli territory.
Israelis’ reality in the last hours: pic.twitter.com/VXeHM8WqJi
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 14, 2024
The Iranian attack so far has involved more than 200 drones and missiles, Hagari said, and has caused light damage to an Israeli military facility. The Israeli military later said it was not advising any residents to prepare to take shelter, revising an earlier warning that signaled the end of the threat.
Iran has vowed retaliation for what it called an Israeli strike on its Damascus consulate on April crimes. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the consulate attack. Iranian Mission to the United Nations warned, “Should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran’s response will be considerably more severe.” They further added, “Its strike was a punishment for “Israeli U.S. to “stay away”. However, it also said Iran now “deemed the matter concluded”. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned Iran’s attack, and said he was “deeply alarmed about the very real danger of a devastating region-wide escalation.”
Israel’s neighbor Jordan said that they are closing their airspace. Jordan has also declared a state of emergency.
Iran’s ally Syria said it was putting its surface-to-air defense systems on high alert around the capital and key targets, military sources said.
Joe Biden warns Iran against attack on Israel
U.S. President Joe Biden, who on Friday (April 12) had warned Iran against an attack, cut short a visit to his home state of Delaware to meet national security advisers in the White House Situation Room. He pledged to stand with Israel. “Our commitment to Israel’s security against threats from Iran and its proxies is ironclad,” he said on X after the meeting.
The Gaza war between Israel and Hamas, now in its seventh month, has escalated tensions in the region, spilling over to the fronts in Lebanon and Syria and sparking long-range shelling of Israeli targets from as far away as Yemen and Iraq. Is. While Israel and Iran have been arch enemies for decades, their long feud has mostly unfolded indirectly or by targeting each other’s militaries operating in third countries.
