IRIA News

Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel in response to the lethal Israeli strike on the Iranian embassy compound in Syria last week. This is the first time Iran attacked Israel from its territory, marking an unprecedented escalation in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

According to Iranian state-run media outlets, seven missiles hit Ramon air base in southern Israel, and there were also reported successful attacks on Nevatim air base, one of Israel’s largest. The Nevatim air base is located near Beersheba city in the Negev desert region and hosts U.S.-supplied F-35 stealth fighter jets. The local Israeli media also reported that several missiles had hit Arad in southern Israel injuring several people.

The Israeli military said, “A small number of hits were identified, including at an IDF base in southern Israel.” Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari reported that on late night April 13, 2024, over 200 “threats,” including missiles and drones, were launched towards Israel. Hagari noted that Israel’s aerial defense systems, including fighter jets, intercepted numerous threats.

IRGC missiles hit targets in the Zionist regime one after another.#Iran pic.twitter.com/auElgsKq9N

— IRNA News Agency (@IrnaEnglish) April 13, 2024

Hagari emphasized Israel’s ongoing readiness to intercept any further threats directed towards the country, stating, “Our planes remain airborne, intercepting targets, and we are prepared for any potential threat to Israel.”

Israel stated that the majority of Iranian missiles and drones were intercepted before reaching the country by Israeli and allied defense systems. A Telegram post by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said that the “vast majority” of Iranian surface-to-surface missiles were detected as they approached Israeli territory and were “successfully intercepted” by the nation’s air defenses, with assistance from allies, including U.S. forces.

Following the attack, public shelters were made available in Haifa, a northern Israeli city, and large gatherings were prohibited. Israel, along with neighboring Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon, closed their airspace in response. According to Israel’s emergency service, there are no reports of injuries directly caused by Iranian strikes.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated that the extensive strikes, a rare direct assault on Israeli territory, were retaliation for the targeting of its consulate in Damascus on April 1, 2024. Tehran justified the action as an act of “self-defense,” cautioning that Iran would not shy away from taking further defensive actions to safeguard its lawful interests against any aggressive military acts and unauthorized use of force.

🔴 Watch: Israeli defense systems intercept Iranian missiles over the Temple Mount pic.twitter.com/oEebzijEGI

— Israel ישראל 🇮🇱 (@Israel) April 13, 2024

Iran’s mission to the United Nations declared that the attack was now deemed to be over, yet cautioned about the possibility of future escalation. “However, should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran’s response will be considerably more severe. It is a conflict between Iran and the rogue Israeli regime, from which the U.S. MUST STAY AWAY!” Iran’s Permanent Mission emphasized in its statement on Twitter.

US response

Shortly after the attacks, the U.S. sent Central Command Chief Gen. Michael Kurilla to Israel for talks with Israeli military counterparts. The Pentagon has also been moving additional assets to the Middle East “to bolster regional deterrence efforts and increase force protection for US forces.”

The White House announced that U.S. President Joe Biden held a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shortly after the Iranian aerial strikes on Saturday night, with further details to be disclosed later.

U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson stated that Biden maintains constant communication with Israeli officials, along with other partners and allies, reiterating the administration’s unwavering support for Israel’s security. The escalation against Israel prompted Biden to convene an extensive meeting with his national security team on Saturday night to evaluate the situation, as confirmed by a U.S. official.

“We condemn these reckless and unprecedented attacks by Iran and its proxies, and we call on Iran to immediately halt any further attacks, including from its proxy forces, and to de-escalate tensions. We do not seek conflict with Iran, but we will not hesitate to act to protect our forces and support the defense of Israel,” U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a statement released by the Department of Defense.

The Department of Defense also said that Austin spoke with the Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant following the attacks “to reiterate ironclad U.S. support for Israel’s defense in light of Iran’s unprecedented attack from Iranian territory.”

“Secretary Austin and Minister Gallant praised the extraordinary defensive measures and strong cooperation undertaken to defeat this Iranian attack against Israel. Secretary Austin again stated clearly that Israel could count on full U.S. support to defend Israel against any future attacks by Iran and its regional proxies,” the statement added.

US defense systems intercept missiles and drones

According to some Pentagon officials, the U.S. air defense systems in the Middle East intercepted several Iranian drones, however, details regarding the location and method of these interceptions were not provided. Previously, officials said that the U.S. would endeavor to intercept any weapons aimed at Israel if it was deemed feasible.

In the past, U.S. Navy forces in the Red Sea intercepted long-range missiles launched by the Houthis in Yemen toward Israel. Additionally, U.S. forces stationed in Iraq and Syria could potentially intercept drones and rockets aimed at northern Israel.

Meanwhile, the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah claimed responsibility for launching numerous Katyusha rockets targeting the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) air defense headquarters in the Golan Heights.

Retaliation for embassy attack

Fear of escalation between Israel and Iran has been on the rise since earlier this month amidst the conflict in Gaza after Israel conducted an aerial strike against the Iranian embassy in Syria. At the time, Iran’s foreign ministry reported that the airstrike destroyed the consulate building in the capital Damascus, resulting in the deaths of at least seven officials, including Mohammed Reza Zahedi, a top commander in Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), and senior commander Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi.

Israel has not publicly accepted responsibility for the strike but stated that it believed the targeted building was a “military building of Quds forces,” a unit of the IRGC responsible for foreign operations.

The death of Zahedi, who previously held the position of commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) ground forces and the country’s air force, as well as deputy commander of its operations, represents the assassination of the most significant Iranian figure since the killing of IRGC General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad by then-U.S. President Donald Trump in 2020.

Tehran immediately issued a cautionary note of a “serious response.” At the same time, the influential Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has declared that the strike will be met with “punishment and revenge.” Additionally, Iran stated its intention to hold the United States “accountable” for its support of Israel.

World reaction

Several countries in the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America expressed concerns about the potential for escalation, with few of them condemning Iran’s actions. European Union’s Foreign Policy Chief, Josep Borrell, characterized Iran’s attack as “an unprecedented escalation and a grave threat to regional security.”

The UK and France reaffirmed their dedication to Israel’s security, with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak remarking that Iran had “once again demonstrated that it is intent on sowing chaos in its own backyard.”

I strongly condemn Iran‘s blatant and unjustifiable attack on Israel.

And I call on Iran and its proxies to immediately cease these attacks.

All actors must now refrain from further escalation and work to restore stability in the region.

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) April 14, 2024

The Netherlands, Austria, and the Czech Republic also denounced the attack and voiced solidarity with Israel, whereas Spain and Portugal advocated for de-escalation.

In Latin America, Chile and Mexico denounced the use of force, while Argentina’s President Javier Milei cut short his visit to Denmark to return to his country and establish a crisis committee. His spokesperson Manuel Adorni stated that the meeting aimed to “take charge of the situation and coordinate actions with the presidents of the Western world.”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, saying he was “deeply alarmed about the very real danger of a devastating region-wide escalation.” Regional powers Saudi Arabia and Egypt voiced similar concerns, with Egypt saying it was in contact with “all concerned parties to try to contain the situation.”

“I strongly condemn the serious escalation represented by the large-scale attack launched on Israel by Iran.”

– @antonioguterres stresses that neither the region nor the world can afford another war and calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities.https://t.co/aQHSWIs02k pic.twitter.com/lOyuzUP1kP

— United Nations (@UN) April 14, 2024