Iran carried out an extensive drone and missile strike on Israel, an action that had not been seen before. This attack came after Iran promised to respond to an earlier strike on its consular building in Syria.
Iran launched more than 200 drones and missiles at Israel, while its proxies and allies also conducted coordinated attacks on Israeli positions. An Israeli army spokesman described it as “The regime in Iran sent a massive swarm of over 200 killer drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.”
Iran claims it acted in “self-defense” following the targeting of its diplomatic mission in Damascus. It expressed hope that its actions would not lead to further escalation and that “the matter can be considered closed.”
The Israeli army stated that Iran’s attack on Israel, involving hundreds of drones and missiles, was “thwarted,” with 99 percent of them intercepted. The statement mentioned that troops are stationed on all fronts, ready, and actively defending Israeli territory.
However, some White House officials informed local media that the US would not engage in any offensive actions against Iran. These comments were reportedly made during a phone call between Biden and Netanyahu earlier today, the officials stated.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has pledged to respond both defensively and offensively, stating that Israel has been preparing for a direct attack from Iran for many years.
The European Union, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Czechia, Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands have all denounced Iran’s attack. The president of the UN Security Council announced that the body will convene an emergency meeting today to discuss Iran’s unprecedented drone and missile strike on Israel.
India expressed serious concern over the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran, which poses a threat to peace and security in the West Asia region. A statement from the Foreign Ministry called for immediate de-escalation, urging all parties to exercise restraint, refrain from violence, and return to the path of diplomacy.
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 escalating clashes now risk evolving into a direct, open conflict involving Iran and its regional allies against Israel and its primary supporter, the United States. Regional power Egypt has urged all parties to exercise “utmost restraint.”
