2024-04-15 05:56:45
First time Iran attacked Israel with 300 drones and missiles – 99% were intercepted
With its first ever direct attack on Israel, Iran brought the feud between the two countries out of the shadows and further inflamed tensions in the Middle East.
Tehran, which usually uses proxies such as the Hezbollah group for military strikes, switched tactics this time, attacking Israel with more than 300 drones and missiles late Saturday. According to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Operation True Promise is a response to “Israel’s crimes.” In addition to Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen joined the bombing.
The attack was expected. After Iran’s consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus was destroyed in an airstrike on April 1, Tehran named Israel as the perpetrator, which it neither confirmed nor denied. About 16 people died in the attack, including two generals from the Guards Corps.
Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations announced on Sunday that the military operation “can be considered concluded”. He explained that the actions “carried out on the basis of Article 51 of the UN Charter, which refers to self-defense, were in response to the Zionist regime’s aggression against our diplomatic facilities in Damascus.” From there, however, they warned that “if the Israeli regime makes another mistake”,
the answer will be harsher
The mission strongly urged the US not to intervene, as “this is a conflict between Iran and the rogue Israeli regime.” Revolutionary Corps commander Hossein Salami was clear in his position on Sunday that “from now on, when Israel attacks Iranian interests, we will attack directly from Iran.” The country’s president Ebraim Raisi also issued a warning to Tel Aviv: “If the Zionist regime or its supporters demonstrate reckless behavior, they will receive a decisive and much stronger response.”
For their part, the authorities in Israel announced that their defense intercepted 99% of the launched objects before they entered its territory, and the damage was not significant, CNN reported. Twelve were reported injured, including a 7-year-old girl in critical condition.
According to an Israeli army spokesman, only a few ballistic missiles damaged an airbase in the Negev desert. In addition to Israel’s well-known “Iron Dome” air defense system, the “Patriot” and “Strela” systems were also activated during the attack. According to various military channels in Telegram
the repulsion is on the attack cost half billion dollars
There was praise for the Israeli army from the country’s president Isaac Herzog, according to whose words “good will defeat the forces of evil”. Defense Minister Yoav Galant, however, pointed out that Israel must “remain alert.” One of the three most important members of the Israeli military cabinet, Benny Gantz, warned that “Iran will pay the right price in a way and time that suits us.”
In an address to the nation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured that the country was “ready for any scenario”, thanking allies, including the US and Britain, who “stood by Israel”. “We have defined a clear principle: whoever harms us, we will also harm him, we will defend ourselves against any threat and we will do it with firmness and determination,” Netanyahu said and added: “Together with God’s help, we will defeat all enemies.”
After the Iranian attack, Netanyahu held a 25-minute conversation with US President Joe Biden in which, according to a senior White House official, he called Israel victorious and Iran’s mission a failure. However, Biden made it clear that
There is no USA to participate to attack against Tehran
Later in a statement, the president specified that US defense assets had been deployed in the region about a week ago, helping Israel “shoot down nearly all incoming drones and missiles.”
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed the country had taken part in the downing of Iranian drones, condemning the attack as a “dangerous and unnecessary escalation”. Sunak announced that the Royal Air Force had sent more aircraft to the region as part of already existing operations to “counter Daesh (the Islamic State) in Iraq and Syria”.
Iran’s actions provoked sharp reactions and were condemned as unacceptable by world leaders, the UN, NATO, the EU, as well as countries around the world. Probably due to fears of
deepening of the regional conflict
even Arab states that consider Israel an enemy have called for restraint. In addition to its Western allies, Israel also received the support of Jordan in shooting down Iranian drones. According to local media, Tehran is monitoring Jordan’s movements during the attack and “if it intervenes, it will be our next target,” according to information from the Iranian armed forces.
Emergency meetings of the G7 and the UN Security Council were called on Sunday, and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called for an “emergency meeting” of the union’s foreign ministers on Tuesday.
The Islamic Corps captured a freighter in the Strait of Hormuz
Hours before Iran’s air attack on Israel, the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) captured an Israeli cargo ship flying the Portuguese flag, the BBC reported.
According to IRN, the container ship MSC Aries “is connected to the Zionist regime”, adding that the vessel was captured during a helicopter operation by the special forces of the Iranian Navy. The Italian-Swiss company MSC confirmed that their ship was hijacked while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, with a crew of 25 on board. “We are working closely with the relevant authorities to ensure the well-being of the crew and the safe return of the ship,” the company said.
The White House said the crew consisted of Indian, Filipino, Pakistani, Russian and Estonian nationals, strongly condemning the hijacking and calling it a “gross violation of international law” and an act of piracy by the IRS. The tanker is believed to be linked to Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer and his company Zodiac Maritime, having been leased to MSC. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important for the oil industry, with more than 25% of the world’s supplies passing through it. The flow is particularly significant for major exporters such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE.