A barrage of missiles and drones attacked Israel, targeting major cities such as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
The move triggered air raid sirens and loud booms across Israel, but according to the Israeli defense forces (IDF), 99 percent of the attacks were thwarted by air defense systems.
An air force base in southern Israel was hit but continued to operate as normal.
A 7-year-old child was also seriously injured by a shrapnel and is currently receiving treatment in a pediatric intensive unit in Bersheeba.
The unprecedented attack was launched by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), marking Iran’s direct on Israel for the first time.
According to Iran, they attacked Israel in retaliation to the incident on April 1, wherein an alleged Israeli air strike targeted an Iranian consulate in Syria, killing a senior IRGC figure and 8 other officers.
Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, said they informed the United States about it. Tehran also told their neighboring countries 72 hours before they attacked.
“We announced to the White House…that our operations will be limited and minimal, with the aim of legitimate defence and punishment of the Israeli regime,” Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Iranian Foreign Minister said.
Iran celebrates drone, missile strikes vs Israel; Tel-Aviv vows to ‘exact a price’
The attack was celebrated by the Iranian parliament as well as citizens in Tehran.
Meanwhile, Israel’s war cabinet minister, Benny Gantz, said the Jewish state will respond when the time is right.
“We will build a regional coalition and exact the price from Iran in the fashion and timing that is right for us,” Benny Gantz stated.
Iran’s drone and missile attacks on Israel, and the latter’s possible retaliation, drew condemnation and criticisms from Israel’s allies.
“Iran and its proxies operating out of Yemen, Syria and Iraq launched an unprecedented air attack against military facilities in Israel. I condemn these attacks in the strongest possible terms,” according to Pres. Joe Biden, United States of America.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls for an immediate cessation of the hostilities, while also condemning the attack against Israel.
“The Middle East is on the brink. The people of the region are confronting a real danger of a devastating full-scale conflict. Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate,” said Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General.
Russia and China also released a statement calling on relevant parties to exercise calm and restraint.
“China is deeply concerned about the current escalation of the Iran-Israel situation and calls on relevant parties to remain calm and exercise restraint to avoid further escalation of tensions,” according to Chinese Foreign Ministry.
“We [Russia] call on all parties involved to exercise restraint. We hope that regional states will solve existing problems through political and diplomatic means,” said Russian Foreign Ministry.
U.S. refuses to join Israel in potential counter-attack vs Iran—report
Following the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to US President Joe Biden.
Reports emerged that during the phone call, Biden told Netanyahu that the U.S. will not participate in any counter attacks that Israel will do against Iran.
“You got a win. Take the win,” said US Pres. Biden to Israeli PM Netanyahu.
Iran’s attack are significantly heightened regional tensions, with all parties striving to emerge as victors in an increasingly complex conflict.
On the other hand, an international law expert stressed the fragility of the situation and how it could further deteriorate due to the looming retaliation of Israel against Iran.
“It’s a very dangerous moment for all of us around the world even. I’m not sure that the Iranians are ready for an attack as strong as an Israeli attack, while Israel has already announced that they will attack harshly back. I think everything is in the American hands now.”
“For sure, there’s a direct and indirect diplomatic war happening now. Hopefully, this will lead to at least to take the situation back to kind of ‘cold war’ or not in direct conflict. But i think we are in a totally different situation now, especially that for the first time, Israel attacked the Iranian’s diplomatic missions. Iran is launching a direct attack from its own land to Israel. It’s a very complicated issue. I think there’s a lot of work for diplomats to do. But the problem will be the political interest for both regimes, both governments, that they try to market it for their own people and to show that they are really able to go out of this conflict as winners,” according to Moen Oair, Atty. of International Law.
For now, Iran said it has no intention of continuing its attack against Israel, but warned that it will strike again its greater force if Israel or the U.S. retaliated against them.
But Tehran also warned that there will be a next operation, and it is much more extensive than this.
