Sirens and blasts sound across Israel after Iran launches drone attack

Iran launched a swarm of explosive drones and fired missiles at Israel late on Saturday in its first-ever direct assault on Israeli territory, risking a significant escalation as the USA pledged “ironclad” backing for Israel.

Sirens wailed and Reuters journalists in Israel mentioned they heard distant heavy thuds and bangs from what native media referred to as aerial interceptions of explosive drones. The ambulance service mentioned there was no rapid phrase of casualties.

Israel’s army mentioned greater than 100 drones have been launched from Iran, with safety sources in Iraq and Jordan reporting dozens seen flying overhead and U.S. officers saying the U.S. army had shot some down.

Israel’s Channel 12 TV cited an unnamed Israeli official as saying there can be a “important response” to the assault.

Iran’s state information company cited a supply saying its army had additionally launched a wave of ballistic missiles. Israel’s army additionally mentioned missiles have been fired, however there was no rapid report of those hanging in Israel.

Iran has vowed retaliation for what it referred to as an Israeli strike on its Damascus consulate on April 1 that killed seven Guards officers together with two senior commanders and mentioned its strike was a punishment for “Israeli crimes”. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied duty for the consulate assault.

“Ought to the Israeli regime make one other mistake, Iran’s response will likely be significantly extra extreme,” the Iranian mission to the United Nations mentioned, warning the U.S. to “keep away”. Nonetheless, it additionally mentioned Iran now “deemed the matter concluded”.

U.S. President Joe Biden, who on Friday had warned Iran towards an assault, minimize quick a go to to his residence state of Delaware to fulfill nationwide safety advisers within the White Home Scenario Room, an official mentioned. He pledged to face with Israel.

The Gaza warfare between Israel and Hamas, now in its seventh month, has pushed up tensions within the area, spreading to fronts with Lebanon and Syria and drawing long-range hearth at Israeli targets from as distant as Yemen and Iraq.

British maritime safety firm Ambrey mentioned in an announcement that drones have been additionally reportedly launched towards Israel by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group.

These clashes now threaten to morph right into a direct open battle pitting Iran and its regional allies towards Israel and its important supporter the USA, with regional energy Egypt urging “utmost restraint”.

U.S. and British warplanes have been concerned in taking pictures down some Israel-bound drones over the Iraq-Syria border space, Channel 12 reported. Three U.S. officers mentioned the U.S. army had shot down drone plane with out saying what number of.

“It is a extreme and harmful escalation. Our defensive and offensive capabilities are on the highest degree of readiness forward of this large-scale assault from Iran,” mentioned Israel’s army spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose official jet took off shortly after the assault started, convened the warfare cupboard at a army headquarters in Tel Aviv, his workplace mentioned.

Israel’s army mentioned sirens would sound in any threatened areas and that its defenses have been poised to cope with the drones, which it mentioned have been “explosive.”

“We’re used to having round 20 seconds to get to shelters when missiles are available. Right here, the warning comes hours forward of time. It naturally raises the anxiousness degree among the many Israeli public,” mentioned Nir Dvori, a Channel 12 TV correspondent on social media.

Israel’s army advised residents of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights to remain near bomb shelters, placing the realm on standby for attainable impression from drone strikes.

Israel and Lebanon mentioned they have been closing their airspace on Saturday evening. Jordan, which lies between Iran and Israel, had readied air defenses to intercept any drone or missile that violated its territory, two regional safety sources mentioned.

Residents in a number of Jordanian cities mentioned they heard heavy aerial exercise.

Syria, an ally of Iran, mentioned it was placing its ground-to-air protection programs across the capital and main bases on excessive alert, military sources there mentioned.

The European Union, Britain, France, Mexico, Czechia, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands all condemned Iran’s assault.

Israel has been bracing for an Iranian response to the Damascus consulate strike since final week, when Iran’s Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei mentioned Israel “have to be punished and shall be” for an operation he referred to as equal to at least one on Iranian soil.

Biden mentioned on Friday that his solely message to Iran was “Do not”, however added that “we’re dedicated to the protection of Israel.”

Iran’s important ally within the area, the Lebanese Shi’ite group Hezbollah has been exchanging hearth with Israel because the Gaza warfare started on Oct. 7, mentioned early on Sunday it had fired rockets at an Israeli base.

Earlier on Saturday, Iran’s state-run IRNA information company reported {that a} Guards helicopter had boarded and brought into Iranian waters the Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries.

MSC, which operates the Aries, confirmed Iran had seized the ship and mentioned it was working “with the related authorities” for its secure return and the wellbeing of its 25 crew.

MSC leases the Aries from Gortal Transport, an affiliate of Zodiac Maritime, Zodiac mentioned in an announcement, including that MSC is accountable for all of the vessel’s actions. Zodiac is partly owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer.

Israeli International Minister Israel Katz accused Iran of piracy.