Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps launched numerous drones and missiles at Israel late Saturday, potentially escalating tensions between these regional adversaries.
Israeli military sources reported intercepting over 100 drones originating from Iran, with sightings reported over Iraq. Channel 12 in Israel confirmed that some drones were neutralized over Syria or Jordan.
Iran’s state media reported this initial missile strike as a retaliatory act for an alleged Israeli assault on its consulate in Damascus on April 1, which resulted in the deaths of seven Guards officers. Iran warned of harsher responses if provoked again by Israel, although it also indicated a temporary resolution to the conflict.
In response, U.S. President Joe Biden abruptly returned from Delaware to convene with national security advisors, reaffirming U.S. support for Israel.
Additionally, a British security firm reported that Yemen’s Houthi group, aligned with Iran, also launched drones at Israel, intensifying the risk of broader conflict involving the U.S. and regional allies. Egypt has called for extreme caution to avoid further escalation.
Amid these tensions, U.S. and British forces reportedly downed several drones over the Iraq-Syria border, as stated by three U.S. officials.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an emergency war cabinet in Tel Aviv as the attacks unfolded.
Israeli defence systems were on high alert, with warnings issued hours in advance, increasing public anxiety, as noted by a Channel 12 correspondent. Residents near the Golan Heights were advised to stay near bomb shelters due to the ongoing threat.
Additionally, both Israel and Lebanon closed their airspace on Saturday night. Jordan, situated between Iran and Israel, enhanced its air defence readiness to intercept any violations into its airspace, according to regional security sources.
