Iran Attacks Israel With Ballistic Missiles And DronesIranAttacksIsraelWithBallisticMissilesAndDrones
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- The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps says in a statement that it has begun an attack on Israel using “dozens of drones and missiles”.
- The Israeli army says Iran has launched several drones against Israeli territory, nearly two weeks after an Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria. The military says the drones will take hours to arrive.
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Lebanon announces temporary closure of its airspace
The Lebanese government says it will reopen its airspace at 7 am local time (04:00 GMT).
The country joins Iraq, Jordan and Israel in closing its airspace.
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Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari has issued a statement in which he said, “We are closely monitoring Iranian killer drones that are en route to Israel sent by Iran”.
“This is a severe and dangerous escalation. Our defensive and offensive capabilities are at the highest level of readiness ahead of this large-scale attack from Iran”.
Netanyahu has convened Israeli war cabinet
The office of the Israeli prime minister says that the war cabinet has convened at military headquarters in Tel Aviv.
This comes shortly after Iran said that it has begun an attack on Israeli territory with drones and cruise missiles.
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The IRGC has released a statement
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has released a statement saying:
“We launched an operation using drones and missiles in response to the Zionist entity’s crime of targeting the Iranian consulate in Syria”.
“The operation was carried out with dozens of missiles and drones to strike specific targets in the occupied territories”, the statement read.
(20:49 GMT) -
Jordan’s air defence ready to shoot down any Iranian aircraft that violate its airspace
Reuters, citing two regional security sources, reports that Jordan’s air defences are ready to intercept and shoot down any Iranian drones or aircraft that violate its airspace.
The sources said the army was also in a state of high alert, and that radar systems were monitoring drone activity
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(20:43 GMT)
Iraq closes its airspace
Iraq’s Transport Ministry has announced that the country’s airspace is now closed.
The management of Erbil International Airport also confirmed in a news statement that the decision to close Iraqi airspace also included the Iraq’s Kurdish region.
Click here to share on social media(20:40 GMT)Israeli airspace set to close
Israeli airspace will be closed to arrivals and departures as of 22:30 GMT, according to the national airports authority.
Iran has launched a direct attack from Iranian soil: Israeli military
(21:15 GMT)Syria puts its ground-to-air defence systems around capital, major bases on high alert: Report
Reuters, citing army sources, reports that Syria has put its Russian-made Pantsir ground-to-air defence systems on high alert around the capital, Damascus and major bases in the event of Israeli strikes.
The sources said they expected Israel would retaliate to any attack from Iran by targeting army bases and installations where pro-Iranian militia were based.
(21:05 GMT) -
Israel under fire as Iran launches drones and cruise missiles The Guardian
Islamic Republic’s first ever direct attack on Jewish state threatens to drag Middle East into regional conflagration
Iran has launched hundreds of drones as well as cruise missiles towards Israel, the Islamic Republic’s first ever direct attack on the Jewish state, moving years of shadow war into the open and putting world capitals on high alert for major escalation as the six-month-old war in Gaza threatens to drag the Middle East into a full-blown regional conflagration.
The launch of what are believed to be powerful Iranian-manufactured Shahed drones was confirmed by both the Israeli military and what Iran’s state-linked Press TV described as military sources at about 11pm local time on Saturday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said more than 100 drones had been launched.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corp said an hour later it had also launched ballistic missiles at “specific targets” in Israel as part of what it deemed “Operation True Promise”.
“In response to the numerous crimes committed by the Zionist regime … the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired dozens of missiles and drones at specific targets inside the occupied territories [Israel],” state TV quoted a Guards statement as saying.
The attack was expected to unfold over a number of hours, with the first wave reaching Israel at around 2am local time (midnight BST).
The New York Times reported that Israeli intelligence sources believe the expected targets would be Israeli military installations in the occupied Golan Heights, in the far north, and the Negev desert, in the far south.
Dozens of drones were spotted flying from Iran in the direction of Israel over Iraqi airspace, two Iraqi security sources told Reuters, while Israel’s Channel 12 reported at midnight local time that the first Israeli interceptions of the Iranian drones had begun over eastern Syria and Jordan.
Yemen’s Houthi militia, and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, also said overnight they had joined the attack against Israel.
The roar of Israeli air force jets could be heard across the country overnight. The country’s sophisticated multi-layered air defence system was expected to be able to intercept relatively slow-moving drones, although it could be overwhelmed by large volumes of incoming fire.
There has been nearly two weeks of speculation about when, where and how Tehran or its proxy forces would respond to the 1 April strike on an Iranian diplomatic building in the Syrian capital of Damascus which killed Gen Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior figure in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards, and eight other officers.
Israeli officials almost never claim responsibility for attacks carried out on foreign soil. Tehran has blamed Israel for the strike.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has repeatedly promised to respond against Israel over the attack, while Israeli officials have warned several times that the country’s forces would strike Iran directly if it launched any retaliatory action from its territory, raising fears over what is now a rapidly escalating tit-for-tat.
On Saturday, Israel’s armed forces were on full alert, and an announcement was made that schools will be closed for the next two days. Israeli, Lebanese, Iraqi, Jordanian and Iranian airspace have been closed. Neighbouring Jordan has declared a state of emergency.
There were unconfirmed reports overnight that US, UK and Jordanian planes had been mobilised to intercept the Iranian attack. Iran’s defence minister, Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, told state TV in response that “any country that allows its airspace or soil to be used for Israel to attack Iran will receive a firm response from us”.
Israel has attacked scores of Iranian-linked targets in Syria during the 14-year-old civil war there with the apparent intent of disrupting arms transfers and other cooperation with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran.
Since the war in Gaza began six months ago, there have been near-daily exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah along the Israel-Lebanon border that have threatened to escalate into full-blown conflict.
A direct attack by Iran on Israel, however, was not believed to be on the cards: Tehran’s leaders have previously made clear that they are not seeking a war with Israel, which could also draw in the US.
Iran has never responded with such force to previous attacks, including many covert Israeli operations on its soil, or the US assassination of the powerful Quds Force leader Qassem Soleimani in Iraq in 2020.
US president Joe Biden cut short a weekend stay at his Delaware beach house and returned to the White House to meet his national security team and monitor the situation shortly before the attack was announced.
The US leader, who this week reiterated Washington’s “iron-clad” commitment to the security of Israel, its most important Middle Eastern ally, was being regularly updated and was in constant communication with Israeli officials as well as US partners and allies, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement late on Saturday.
The latest war between Israel and Hamas, sparked by the Palestinian militant group’s 7 October attack in which 1,200 were killed and another 250 abducted, has already spread to fronts with Lebanon and Syria and drawn long-range fire at Israeli targets from as far away as Yemen and Iraq.
More than 33,000 people have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza, where the 2.3m population is facing a dire humanitarian crisis and some areas have slipped into famine.
Earlier on Saturday, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported that a IRGC helicopter had boarded and taken into Iranian waters the Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries
Iran launches missile and drone attack against Israel RTE
https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/0413/1443356-iran-israel-attack/
The aftermath of the alleged Irsaeli strike on an Iranian consulate in Syria which prompted the attack
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps has confirmed that a drone and missile attack was under way against Israel, an attack that may trigger a major escalation between the regional archenemies, with the US pledging to back Israel.
Israel's military said the drones, which Iraqi security sources said were seen flying over the country from Iran, would take hours to reach their targets.
Some of the drones have been shot down by the US military, US officials have said, without disclosing how many drones were shot down or the precise locations.
Israeli Channel 12 said missiles Iran had launched would likely strike sooner but that some missiles and drones had been shot down over Syria or Jordan.
Iran vowed retaliation for what it called an Israeli strike on its Damascus consulate on 1 April that killed seven Guards officers including two senior commanders and said its strike, called "Operation True Promise" was a punishment for "Israeli crimes".
"In response to the numerous crimes committed by the Zionist regime, including the attack on the consular section... the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired dozens of missiles and drones at specific targets inside the occupied territories (Israel)," Iranian state television quoted a Guards statement as saying.
Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the consulate attack.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also convened the Israeli war cabinet at military headquarters in Tel Aviv, his office said.
A retired Israeli general, Amos Yadlin, told the country's Channel 12 news that the Iranian drones were equipped with 20kg of explosives each.
Israel's military said sirens would sound in any threatened areas and that its defences were poised to deal with them.
They said it sounded sirens in a kibbutz near the Lebanon border, after Iran launched an attack on Israel.
"Sirens sounded in Kibbutz Snir, northern Israel," the army said in a statement.
Israel and neighbouring Jordan, which lies between Iraq and Israel, said they were closing their airspace and Jordan announced a state of emergency.
Syria, an ally of Iran, said it was putting its ground-to-air defence systems around the capital and major bases on high alert, army sources there said.
The Gaza war between Israel and Hamas, now in its seventh month, has driven up tensions in the region, spreading to fronts with Lebanon and Syria and drawing long-range fire at Israeli targets from as far away as Yemen and Iraq.
The White House has said the attack is likely to unfold over a number of hours.
Mr Biden is being regularly updated by his national security team and is in constant communication with Israeli officials as well as US partners and allies, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement.
"President Biden has been clear: our support for Israel's security is ironclad," Ms Watson added.
"The United States will stand with the people of Israel and support their defence against these threats from Iran."
Those clashes now threaten to morph into a direct open conflict pitting Iran and its regional allies against Israel and its main supporter the US.
Earlier, Israel announced it was closing schools nationwide over security concerns.
There will be "no educational activities" when the school week begins tomorrow "in light of the security situation," military spokesman Daniel Hagari said.
The measure is set to last two days, according to online army guidelines.
Iran launches dozens of drones toward Israel CNN
- Israeli air defenses are intercepting some Iranian strikes after Iran launched a barrage of missiles toward Israel Saturday in retaliation for an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus earlier this month.
- CNN's team in Jerusalem is hearing explosions and sirens as the interceptions are happening. US air defense systems in the Middle East have intercepted some Iranian drones, according to two US officials.
- The retaliatory attack comes as Iran seized a container ship Saturday near the Strait of Hormuz with 25 crew members on board. According to Iranian state media, the vessel is managed by a company linked to an Israeli businessman.
- Eyewitnesses say hundreds of Israeli settlers are surrounding Palestinian towns and attacking residents on Saturday after an Israeli teen who went missing in the occupied West Bank was found dead. It comes a day following one of the largest attacks by settlers this year, according to Palestinian officials.
Iran launches dozens of drones toward Israel
What we're covering
- Israeli air defenses are intercepting some Iranian strikes after Iran launched a barrage of missiles toward Israel Saturday in retaliation for an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus earlier this month.
- CNN's team in Jerusalem is hearing explosions and sirens as the interceptions are happening. US air defense systems in the Middle East have intercepted some Iranian drones, according to two US officials.
- The retaliatory attack comes as Iran seized a container ship Saturday near the Strait of Hormuz with 25 crew members on board. According to Iranian state media, the vessel is managed by a company linked to an Israeli businessman.
- Eyewitnesses say hundreds of Israeli settlers are surrounding Palestinian towns and attacking residents on Saturday after an Israeli teen who went missing in the occupied West Bank was found dead. It comes a day following one of the largest attacks by settlers this year, according to Palestinian officials.
- Here's how to help humanitarian efforts in Gaza and Israel.
These are the various air defense systems that Israel can use to intercept missiles and drones
By CNN's Vasco CotovioThere are very few countries as prepared as Israel for Iran's air attack, given its arsenal and experience with linked militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
The best-known of Israel's air defense capabilities is the Iron Dome — a short-range system that has intercepted thousands of rockets and drones fired by both groups in the past few years. According to Israeli manufacturer Rafael Defense Systems, it boasts a 90% success rate. Earlier this week, Israel also debuted the maritime version of the Iron Dome, an air defense system known as "C-Dome," to intercept a Houthi drone.
But the Iron Dome does have limitations: Some rockets have punched through — several fired by Hezbollah against Israel did on Friday — and the defense system is best suited for rockets or missiles fired from short distances. Its radar has a range of 4 to 70 kilometers (about 2.5 to 43 miles).
To deal with medium- to long-range missiles or drones — the type it will likely face in Iran's attack on Saturday — Israel installed the David's Sling system in 2017. With a range of up to 300 kilometers (about 186 miles), its main goal is to protect against and intercept large-caliber rockets, drones or short-range ballistic missiles.
In addition to these short and medium-range capabilities, Israel also has the Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 anti-ballistic missile systems, which are designed to target and strike long-range ballistic missiles at a range of up to 2,400 kilometers (1,491 miles). The Arrow 3 system has also been used to shoot down ballistic missiles in space.
In addition to these domestically developed air defense systems, Israel also operates US-made Patriot air defense systems, which have a reported range of up to 160 kilometers (about 99 miles) and can intercept most types of missiles. These have proven quite effective against Russian hypersonic missiles in Ukraine.
Israel can also deploy its extensive air force. Its fleet includes US-made F-15, F-16 and highly advanced fifth-generation F-35 jets. All of these can be equipped with air-to-air missiles and are capable of shooting down incoming drones or missiles.
Israeli air defenses intercept some Iranian strikes
CNN's team is hearing explosions and sirens as intercepts occur in the skies of Jerusalem.
"We are continuing to see multiple intercepts in the skies above me coming from multiple different directions. It's hard to tell what is an incoming missile and what is an intercept," CNN's Nic Robertson reported.
"I'm hearing multiple, multiple detonations, again of what sound like interceptions. I am not hearing the sound of impacts," Robertson continued.
"We've witnessed 20 to 30 perhaps intercepts," he added.
US House will consider legislation supporting Israel next week
From CNN’s Haley Talbot, Lauren Fox, Melanie Zanona and Manu RajuIran's strike on Israel has drawn swift reaction from US Congress, with Democrats imploring House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring up the Senate foreign aid package. Meanwhile, Republicans are calling on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to act on Israel only.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise formally announced an update to the House schedule to consider legislation “that supports our ally Israel” and holds Iran accountable without providing specifics on what that legislation would be.
Scalise added that more details would be coming on exact legislation and it’s unclear at this point if it is purely a messaging bill or an aid package.
“In light of Iran’s unjustified attack on Israel, the House will move from its previously announced legislative schedule next week to instead consider legislation that supports our ally Israel and holds Iran and its terrorist proxies accountable,” the GOP leader said in a statement.
IDF says aerial defenses fully operational and reiterates shelter instructions
From CNN's Tamar MichaelisRear Adm. Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for Israel Defense Forces, issued a video statement Saturday night reiterating instructions to Israeli civilians on staying in sheltered places.
“I remind you that no matter where the threat is launched from, when an alarm sounds you must enter the shelter and wait there for no less than ten minutes,” Hagari said.
“We will update in real-time if you are required to stay there for a longer period. The Aerial Defense Array is fully operational and is intercepting threats wherever required, even at this very moment. At this time, numerous IAF planes are in the air, ready to counter any threat," Hagari continued.
He warned that civilians "may hear explosions from interceptions or debris falling.
"Since there are a variety of threats, the alerts may be issued across wide areas," he said. "Continue to act responsibly and calmly as you have been and adhere to the instructions. We are strong and capable of handling this event.”
Hagari said he would issue further updates shortly.
Iran's mission to UN says attack on Israel in response to Damascus consulate strike has concluded
From CNN's Adam Pourahmadi and Benjamin BrownIran says its attack on Israel is a response to Israel's strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, and "the matter can be deemed concluded."
Iran's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York said the early Sunday attack was a response to Israeli "aggression against our diplomatic premises in Damascus."
Israel earlier this month struck an Iranian building in the Syrian capital Damascus, with a military spokesperson saying Israel believed the Iranian building hit in the attack was a "military building."
The Iranian mission said the matter was "deemed concluded."
"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 added in its statement on X.
US embassy in Jordan warns citizens of "continued need for caution"
From CNN's Jennifer HanslerThe US embassy in Jordan is warning US citizens “of the continued need for caution” following the closure of Jordanian airspace and the launch of an Iranian retaliatory attack against Israel.
"We remind U.S. citizens of the continued need for caution and encourage them to monitor the news for breaking developments,” the alert said, adding, “The U.S. Embassy in Jordan will continue to review the situation and provide additional information as needed."
Egypt calls for restraint as Iran launches drones toward Israel
From CNN’s Caroline Faraj and Zeena SaifiEgypt expressed its deep concern after Iran launched drones toward Israel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Saturday.
The statement called for the exercise of the “utmost restraint to spare the region and its people more instability and tension.”
“Egypt considers the dangerous escalation that the Iranian/Israeli arena is currently witnessing is nothing but a direct result of what Egypt has repeatedly warned about, regarding the dangers of expanding the conflict in the region as a result of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, and the provocative military actions being exercised in the region,” it said.
The ministry stressed that it is in constant contact with “all concerned parties to try to contain the situation and stop the escalation.”
UK helping backfill US in region but not actively intercepting Iranian drones
From CNN's Jennifer HanslerThe UK is not actively deploying assets for the purpose of intercepting Iranian drones, but is providing backfill for US assets that have been redeployed from counter-ISIS operations in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, according to a source familiar.
If an Iranian drone or missile went straight into that territory, UK would operate there, but the source said this shouldn’t be seen as a joint operation.
US air defenses intercept some Iranian drones targeting Israel, US officials say
From CNN's Oren LiebermannUS air defense systems in the Middle East have intercepted some Iranian drones, according to two US officials.
The sources did not specify how the US intercepted the drones and where.
Iran has launched over 100 drones at Israel; IDF working to intercept them en route
Unconfirmed reports say cruise missiles also fired * IDF spokesman says defenses strong * Israel restricts gatherings, cancels educational activities * Biden scraps weekend break
Jordan declares state of emergency over Iranian attack on Israel
Jordan has declared a state of emergency, state-owned Al Mamlaka news reports, amid fears of an Iranian attack on Israel.
Earlier this evening, Jordan announced it is temporarily closing its airspace to all incoming, departing and transit aircraft, saying the situation would be “continuously updated and reviewed according to developments.”
Interference in Jordanian air traffic affected Jordan’s GPS system prompting planes in the area to use alternative navigation systems, Haitham Misto, the chairman of Jordan’s Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission, says on Al-Mamlaka.
Netanyahu convenes war cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is convening a meeting of the war cabinet at the Kiryat military headquarters in Tel Aviv, his office says.
A photo released by the PMO shows Netanyahu seated with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Minister Benny Gantz, IDF chief Herzli Halevi, National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi and other senior officials.
Iran launches dozens of drones toward Israel CNN
https://www.cnn.com/
Iran launches wave of drone attacks at Israel: report New York Post 13th April 2024
Iran has directly attacked Israel for the first time, launching hundreds of suicide drones and ballistic missiles at the Jewish state.
The massive waves of destructive weapons headed for the small nation Saturday night were designed to overwhelm the formidable air defenses, experts say.
The Times of Israel reports the guidelines prohibit educational activities and bans gatherings over 1,000 people.
Stricter restrictions have been imposed in areas that abut Gaza.
The overwhelming attack also differentiates the massive size difference between the longtime enemies. While Israel has more than 8 million people, the population of Iran is believed to be over 89 million — more than 10 times.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a statement after the drones were launched, declaring, “The malicious Zionist regime will be punished.”
Unverified videos posted to Telegram, and shared online showed a swarm of buzzing Iranian drones — which are known to make a “lawnmower sound” — flying over Iraq.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation, saying the country was preparing for a direct attack, and will respond accordingly.
“Citizens of Israel, in recent years, and even more so in recent weeks, Israel has been preparing for the possibility of a direct attack from Iran,” Netanyahu said.
“Our defense systems are deployed, and we are prepared for any scenario, both in defense and offense. The State of Israel is strong, the IDF is strong, the public is strong.”
Footage showing the drones and missiles crossing the night sky has been shared online.
President Joe Biden rushed back to the White House on Saturday evening from his weekend beach getaway in Delaware.
White House National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said Biden was being updated on the airstrike, and “will meet with his national security team in the coming hours.”
She said the attack “will last several hours,” and that the U.S.’s “support for Israel’s security is cast in iron. The U.S. will stand by the Israeli people and help them defend themselves against threats from Iran.”
Jordan has also reportedly closed its airspace in response.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation Saturday, saying the country was preparing for a direct attack, and will respond accordingly.
Jonathan Schanzer, senior vice president of research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said any direct hit by Iranian drones on Israeli soil “will probably” elicit a response ten-fold.
“If Israel is hit and is hit in a sensitive location, Israel will respond heavily,” he said. He said Iran launching drone strikes “is obviously a significant escalation. There’s no other way to put this.”
Schanzer said in theory there’s “very little” difference between Iran directly attacking Israel versus directly conducting a strike on Jerusalem, but that the optics of a direct launch from Tehran “gives Israel an opportunity now to turn the tables on the regime.”
“The Iranians can no longer claim to be the aggrieved party. It’s a direct strike after having coordinated literally thousands of strikes from proxies. This is a moment that I would say has been inevitable in the region for several decades now, where the regime is finally owning its own aggression and it will give the Israelis ample opportunity to respond.”
Schanzer noted though that if Israel manages to take out “95 to 95%” of Iran’s drones in Saturday’s strike “that may be the end of it,” or may choose to retaliate at some later point. “They’ll have the time and space to decide to do so. so much depends on how successful these drone strikes are when anticipating a response.”
IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari told CNN GPS will not be available in some areas to track the drones ahead of the imminent attack.
Iran said in August it had built an advanced drone, the Mohajer-10, with an operational range of 1,240 miles, according to the Times of Israel.
They are capable of flying for up to 24 hours with loads as large as 660 pounds.
Two US officials told CBS Friday that Iran could deploy as many as 100 drones.
https://nypost.com/2024/04/13/
IDF tracking more than 100 drones already heading to Israel from Iran
So far, the Israeli military has identified more than 100 drones launched from Iran at Israel.
The Israeli Air Force is tracking the drones and is preparing for additional waves of attacks, which may also include missiles.
The drones that are currently being tracked are expected to reach the country within hours, though the IDF will work to intercept them at an earlier stage.
Other threats, including ballistic missiles or cruise missiles, will take less time to reach Israel, and the IDF says it will update accordingly.
The IDF says it is well-prepared to handle the Iranian attack, and Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi held another assessment in the last few hours.
Dozens of IAF fighter jets are currently in the skies and are prepared to strike wherever needed, according to the IDF.
Iraq says it is closing its airspace as Iran launches attack on Israel
Iraq announces that it is closing its airspace and suspending all air traffic after Iran launched a drone attack on Israel.
“Iraq’s airspace has been closed and air traffic has been halted,” Transport Minister Razzak al-Saadawi tells state news agency INA. The Civil Aviation Authority says the closure will last from 11:30 pm (2030 GMT) until 5:30 am (0230 GMT).
IDF says it struck Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon in response to drone attack earlier today
Unrelated to the ongoing Iranian attack on Israel, the IDF says it struck Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon in response to an explosive-drone attack on northern Israel earlier today, which seriously wounded a security officer.
Hezbollah sites were hit by fighter jets and artillery shelling in Kharayeb, Wardiyeh and Khilat al-Daba, the IDF says.
A member of Hanita’s security team was wounded in the earlier drone attack on the community.
Israel has reportedly begun intercepting Iranian drones over Jordan and Syria
Channel 12 reports, without citing any sources, that Israel has begun intercepting Iranian drones over Syria and Jordan.
The ability to do so is thanks to an aerial umbrella set up by the US in cooperation with regional allies.
Meanwhile, Iran’s defense minister has issued a statement warning neighboring countries that any of them that open their airspace to Israel in order to intercept the drones will be targeted.
Iran-linked media says Tehran has launched third wave of drones at Israel
Iran-linked media reports that Tehran has launched a third wave of drones at Israel.
European Jewish communities raise readiness level following Iran’s attack on Israel
Jewish communities are entering a state of “heightened vigilance” following Iran’s drone attack on Israel, a leader of European Jewry says.
“Given the current situation, Jewish communities in Europe have raised their level of preparedness,” Pinchas Goldschmidt, the president of the Conference of European Rabbis, says in a statement Saturday night. Iranian proxies have in recent years targeted Jews across Europe, including in Greece and Bulgaria, Goldschmidt notes.
Separately, the secretary of the Organization of American States, or OAS, Luis Almagro warns that Iran may target Jewish communities in Latin America. This applies especially to “autocratic regimes with close ties with Iran and its proxies,” Almagro says at a symposium in Washington DC, organized this weekend by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) and B’nai B’rith International.
Jordan’s air defense ready to shoot down any Iranian aircraft that violate its airspace — sources
Jordan’s air defense is ready to intercept and shoot down any Iranian drones or aircraft that violate its airspace, two regional security sources say.
They say the army is also in a state of high alert and radar systems are monitoring drone activity.
Live Updates: Israel Says Iran Launched Drones at Its Territory in Retaliatory Strike
The move appeared to be retaliation for a deadly Israeli airstrike in early April on the Iranian Embassy complex in the Syrian capital.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/04/13/world/israel-iran-gaza-war-news
President Biden arrived back at the White House at 5:02 p.m. Eastern time and walked quickly into the Oval Office. Officials said he will meet with his National Security Council soon.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said in a statement broadcast on state television that it had launched missile and drone attacks on Israel from Iran. “The aerospace unit of the Revolutionary Guards has attacked targets in Israel with dozens of drones and missiles in reaction to the Zionist regime’s crimes, including the attack on the consulate section of Iran’s embassy in Damascus and martyring our commanders and military advisers in Syria.”
Israel plans to close its airspace to international and domestic air traffic beginning at 12:30 a.m. local time on Sunday, the Israel Airports Authority said in a statement, as the country awaits the arrival of Iranian drones fired at its territory.
The spokeswoman for the National Security Council at the White House confirmed that Iran had launched a strike toward Israel and vowed to help Israel defend itself: “Iran has begun an airborne attack against Israel. President Biden is being regularly updated on the situation by his national security team and will meet with them this afternoon at the White House. His team is in constant communication with Israeli officials as well as other partners and allies."
"This attack is likely to unfold over a number of hours," the spokeswoman, Adrienne Watson, said. "President Biden has been clear: our support for Israel’s security is ironclad. The United States will stand with the people of Israel and support their defense against these threats from Iran.”
As Israel awaits the arrival of Iranian drones, the Israeli war cabinet began meeting tonight around 11 p.m. local time before the expanded security cabinet meets at 12 a.m., said an Israeli official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss closed-door deliberations.
Iranians inside the country anxiously followed the news that their country has launched attacks on Israel, fearing a retaliation strike that could lead to war. Iran’s currency had been plunging daily in reaction to even possibility of attacks and many Iranians worried that the impact of the strikes on the economy and inflation would be immediate.
Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military spokesman, told reporters in a televised briefing that Iran “fired drones from its territory towards the territory of the state of Israel.” He said Israeli forces were following the aerial threat, which would take a few hours to arrive.
The spokeswoman for the National Security Council at the White House confirmed Saturday evening that Iran had launched what she called “an airborne attack” against Israel and vowed that the United States would help Israel defend itself.
“President Biden is being regularly updated on the situation by his national security team and will meet with them this afternoon at the White House,” Adrienne Watson, the spokeswoman, said in a statement.
Less than a week after withdrawing ground troops from southern Gaza, the Israeli military has shifted its focus to the central Gaza Strip, where its forces were operating for the third day on Saturday and residents and Palestinian media reported heavy bombardments and intense fighting.
The Israeli military announced on Thursday that it had begun a “precise operation” in the central Gaza Strip, saying it had carried out airstrikes ahead of its ground troops raiding the area. It added that the Israeli navy had conducted several strikes along the coastline to assist the ground troops.
Residents and Palestinian media said that the Israeli attack seemed to center on the Nuseirat refugee camp in Deir al-Balah, a city in the central Gaza Strip near a narrow Israeli-controlled corridor that splits northern Gaza, including Gaza City, from the rest of the territory.
Though Nuseirat began as a refugee camp for displaced Palestinians in the 1940s, it has been built up over the decades into an urban community.
Wafa, the Palestinian Authority’s official news agency, reported intense Israeli air raids on Nuseirat for a third consecutive day on Saturday. The Israeli military said in a statement that its troops were continuing their operation in central Gaza and that they had destroyed Hamas “infrastructure” in the area over the last day.
Khalil Farid, 57, who lives in the Nuseirat refugee camp, said in a text-message exchange on Friday that bombing and shelling had not stopped since the Israeli attack began Thursday afternoon. “The army gave no warning of this operation,” he said, adding that “no leaflets were dropped, and no one was told where to go or what to do.”
Mr. Farid said that the fighting appeared to be mostly in the northern part of the New Camp, one of the neighborhoods of Nuseirat where he is staying with nine other family members at his brother’s apartment. “We are all sitting in the living room praying and waiting for our fate,” he said.
Mr. Farid said that after fleeing to the city of Rafah in the south, he and his family had returned to central Gaza because it seemed that the situation in Rafah was not much safer. “Where will we and the others go? There are too many people here,” he said.
The United Nations office for humanitarian affairs said on Friday that three Palestinians were reportedly killed and others were injured when a U.N. school housing displaced people in Nuseirat camp was hit.
The Palestinian civil defense in Gaza said that its rescue crews had received “dozens of distress calls” after an Israeli strike on the school killed and wounded several people, adding that it was unable to evacuate the casualties because it was too dangerous to enter the area.
TRT, the national public broadcaster of Turkey, said on Friday that a cameraman and correspondent were wounded when a group of journalists reporting from Nuseirat were hit by Israeli tank fire. CNN also said that a freelance reporter working for the network was lightly injured in the same attack.
Hamas said in a statement on Friday that the Nuseirat camp, which was “crowded with displaced people from various regions of the strip,” was under “a barbaric attack” that resulted “in dozens of martyrs and wounded.”
Iranian forces seized a container ship with links to Israel in the Persian Gulf on Saturday, as leaders in the Middle East and beyond watched for a retaliatory strike by Iran against Israel.
MSC, a major shipping company, said on Saturday that the MSC Aries, which is registered in Portugal, had been boarded by “Iranian authorities” via helicopter as it passed the Strait of Hormuz.
A video shared by Iranian state media showed a military helicopter hovering above what appeared to be the stern of the ship, with at least two soldiers descending a rope onto the deck.
The soldiers were part of the elite Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, according to IRNA, the state news agency.
A spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council, Adrienne Watson, called on Iran to release the vessel and its crew immediately.
“Seizing a civilian vessel without provocation is a blatant violation of international law, and an act of piracy by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization,” she said in a statement. “It must be condemned unequivocally, and we will work with our partners to hold Iran to account for its actions.”
Though it is operated by MSC, the 1,200-foot cargo vessel belongs to an affiliate of Zodiac Maritime, which is part of the Zodiac Group, owned by the Israel-born billionaire Eyal Ofer, making it a possible target for Iranian retaliation. Tehran has vowed a retaliatory strike after blaming Israel for an attack on an Iranian embassy building in Syria that killed 12 people, among them top military generals.
Israel Katz, Israel’s foreign affairs minister, confirmed the seizure on social media and said Iran’s leadership was “a criminal regime that supports Hamas’ crimes and is now conducting a pirate operation in violation of international law.”
Six months after the Hamas attack on Israel that started the war in Gaza, the seizure comes amid fears of a wider conflict involving Iran directly. Iran is a backer of Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi rebels in Yemen, but has so far stayed clear of direct involvement. On Friday, President Biden said that he expected Iran to launch a retaliatory attack “sooner than later,” and reiterated that the United States remained committed to the defense of Israel.
It was not immediately clear if the seizure of the ship was part of Iran’s promised response to the attack in Syria, but it was not the first time Iran had directly seized a commercial vessel. In January, Iran’s navy seized a tanker loaded with oil off the coast of Oman. In that seizure, soldiers also descended from a hovering helicopter.
Before the war in Gaza, the United States said that Iran had “harassed, attacked or interfered” with more than a dozen internationally flagged merchant ships in recent years.
For their part, the Houthis have disrupted a significant part of the world’s shipping by attacking dozens of vessels heading to or from the Suez Canal.
The MSC Aries had 25 crew members on board, according to its operator.