Iran launched drones at Israel directly from its territory on Sunday, marking a major escalation in the shadow war between the two nations.
Israel’s military said more than 100 drones were launched from Iran, with security sources in Iraq and Jordan reporting dozens seen flying overhead.
US officials said that the US military shot down an Iranian drone aircraft headed toward Israel. US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone conversation amid the attack.
The Israeli military claims that over 100 explosive drones have been launched by Iran so far, news agency Reuters reported. Two security sources in Iraq said dozens of drones had been spotted flying from Iran towards Israel over Iraqi airspace in what Iranian Press TV called “extensive drone strikes” by the Revolutionary Guards.
Iranian Defence Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani warned that Tehran will firmly respond to any country that “opens its airspace or territory for attacks on Iran by Israel”, news agency Reuters reported.
British military aircraft downed some Iranian drones over the Iraq-Syria border areas, Israel Channel 12 TV reported. Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak issued a statement on X, condemning in the “strongest terms” Iran’s “reckless attack on Israel”.
“The UK will continue to stand up for Israel’s security and that all of our regional partners, including Jordan and Iraq,” Sunak added.
In a statement, the White House said that the US stands by its ally, Israel, and will “support their defence” amid the Iranian attack, which is “expected to unfold over a number of hours”. Furthermore, US President Joe Biden held a meeting with the national security team in a situation room soon after Iran launched the attack on Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened the Israeli war cabinet at military headquarters in Tel Aviv after the Iranian attack. In a statement, he assured Israelis that all defensive systems are “deployed” and that Israel is “ready for any scenario, both defensively and offensively”. He also thanked the US, the UK and France, and other nations for their support.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned Iran’s attack against Israel. “These strikes risk inflaming tensions and destabilising the region. Iran has once again demonstrated that it is intent on sowing chaos in its own backyard,” Sunak said in a statement.
Iran says it has launched ballistic missiles as part of its attack targeting Israel. The state-run IRNA news agency quoted an anonymous official saying Tehran fired ballistic missiles at targets inside Israel, news agency AP reported.
Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah says it fired rockets at Israeli-annexed Golan, news agency AFP reported.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched multiple drones at Israel in coordination with Iran, a security firm said, according to an AFP report.
Iran warns United States to ‘stay away’ from conflict with Israel.