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Iran announced at dawn on Sunday that it carried out a "one-off" drone attack from its territory against Israel on Saturday, warning the latter not to retaliate. Tel Aviv promised to react.
The drone attack, launched late on Saturday night by Iran against Israel, appears to be limited in time. Tehran made this clear even before the projectiles hit their targets, at around 2:00 AM on Sunday.
The announcement was made from UN headquarters in New York, as if Iran wanted to show that it was acting in accordance with international law. Its diplomatic mission to the United Nations indicated, in a statement, that "Iran's military action, carried out in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter on self-defense, was in retaliation for the Zionist regime's raid on our diplomatic buildings in Damascus."
"We can consider the matter over, but if the Israeli regime makes another serious mistake, the Iranian retaliation will be more violent," according to the statement, which warns the United States against any intervention.
"This is a conflict between Iran and the Israeli regime. The United States must stay out of it," said the Iranian diplomatic mission.
Tehran launched at least a hundred drones against Israel, several of which were intercepted by the Israeli air defense system.
Several detonations sounded in the skies over Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.
At least five detonations were heard over Jerusalem where warning sirens were activated at around 01:45 local time (22:45 GMT). Warning sirens were also activated in the Negev region, in southern Israel, as well as in the north, the Israeli army said. According to Iranian media, at least one drone "successfully struck an Israeli air base in the Negev, which served as a launching pad for the raid on our buildings in Damascus." The Israeli army confirmed that one of its airports was directly hit.
This is the first direct attack ever carried out by Iran against the territory of Israel, its sworn enemy.
Tehran’s allies, Hezbollah and the Houthis, carried anti-Israeli attacks as well, as soon as the drones were launched. Hezbollah launched rockets towards the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Warning Signs
The Guardians of the Revolution, the Islamic Republic's ideological army, confirmed the drone launch, which had been preceded by warning signs of an imminent attack: a heightened alert level in Israel, which announced the closure of schools and the cancellation of all activities scheduled for Sunday, as well as the closure of airspace in Jordan and Iraq, while US President Joe Biden urgently interrupted a personal trip to return to Washington "to hold a meeting on the Middle East."
All these signs suggest that Tehran warned its enemy, through its own channels, of its intention to attack. This theory is supported by what an Israeli official said to Al-Arabiya TV channel: "I would neither confirm nor deny reports that Tehran had informed Tel Aviv of the timing and nature of its response" to the Damascus raid.
No Imminent Retaliation
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose army is engaged in a war in Gaza, immediately called a meeting of his staff and close associates in a locked room at an undisclosed location after the attack, according to his office.
According to the Israeli media, "The Israeli war cabinet decided to wait until the attacks were over before deciding on the appropriate response."
Israel's historic ally, the United States, said that it would "stand by the people of Israel," after announcing on Friday that it was sending reinforcements to the region.
'Killer Drones'
The attack was carried out around 11:30 PM. "In response to the numerous crimes committed by the Zionist regime, including the attack on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus and the martyrdom of a group of our country's military commanders and advisors in Syria, the Revolutionary Guards Air Force fired dozens of missiles and drones at specific targets inside the occupied territories (Israel)," Iranian state TV quoted the Guards as saying.
"Iran has launched drones from its territory in the direction of Israel," said Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari in a televised address shortly after 23:00 (20:00 GMT).
"We are closely monitoring the killer drones sent by Iran and en route to Israel," said Rear Admiral Hagari. "We are working closely with the US and our partners to act against the launches and intercept them."
This "direct attack launched from Iranian soil" is a "serious and dangerous escalation," he added.
Other "waves of drones" aimed at Israel are possible, warned a military official.
Following the Iranian attack, Israel closed its airspace at 00:30 local time on Sunday (Saturday at 21:30 GMT).
The drone attack, launched late on Saturday night by Iran against Israel, appears to be limited in time. Tehran made this clear even before the projectiles hit their targets, at around 2:00 AM on Sunday.
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The announcement was made from UN headquarters in New York, as if Iran wanted to show that it was acting in accordance with international law. Its diplomatic mission to the United Nations indicated, in a statement, that "Iran's military action, carried out in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter on self-defense, was in retaliation for the Zionist regime's raid on our diplomatic buildings in Damascus."
"We can consider the matter over, but if the Israeli regime makes another serious mistake, the Iranian retaliation will be more violent," according to the statement, which warns the United States against any intervention.
"This is a conflict between Iran and the Israeli regime. The United States must stay out of it," said the Iranian diplomatic mission.
Tehran launched at least a hundred drones against Israel, several of which were intercepted by the Israeli air defense system.
Several detonations sounded in the skies over Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.
At least five detonations were heard over Jerusalem where warning sirens were activated at around 01:45 local time (22:45 GMT). Warning sirens were also activated in the Negev region, in southern Israel, as well as in the north, the Israeli army said. According to Iranian media, at least one drone "successfully struck an Israeli air base in the Negev, which served as a launching pad for the raid on our buildings in Damascus." The Israeli army confirmed that one of its airports was directly hit.
This is the first direct attack ever carried out by Iran against the territory of Israel, its sworn enemy.
Tehran’s allies, Hezbollah and the Houthis, carried anti-Israeli attacks as well, as soon as the drones were launched. Hezbollah launched rockets towards the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Warning Signs
The Guardians of the Revolution, the Islamic Republic's ideological army, confirmed the drone launch, which had been preceded by warning signs of an imminent attack: a heightened alert level in Israel, which announced the closure of schools and the cancellation of all activities scheduled for Sunday, as well as the closure of airspace in Jordan and Iraq, while US President Joe Biden urgently interrupted a personal trip to return to Washington "to hold a meeting on the Middle East."
All these signs suggest that Tehran warned its enemy, through its own channels, of its intention to attack. This theory is supported by what an Israeli official said to Al-Arabiya TV channel: "I would neither confirm nor deny reports that Tehran had informed Tel Aviv of the timing and nature of its response" to the Damascus raid.
View this post on Instagram
No Imminent Retaliation
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose army is engaged in a war in Gaza, immediately called a meeting of his staff and close associates in a locked room at an undisclosed location after the attack, according to his office.
According to the Israeli media, "The Israeli war cabinet decided to wait until the attacks were over before deciding on the appropriate response."
Israel's historic ally, the United States, said that it would "stand by the people of Israel," after announcing on Friday that it was sending reinforcements to the region.
'Killer Drones'
The attack was carried out around 11:30 PM. "In response to the numerous crimes committed by the Zionist regime, including the attack on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus and the martyrdom of a group of our country's military commanders and advisors in Syria, the Revolutionary Guards Air Force fired dozens of missiles and drones at specific targets inside the occupied territories (Israel)," Iranian state TV quoted the Guards as saying.
"Iran has launched drones from its territory in the direction of Israel," said Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari in a televised address shortly after 23:00 (20:00 GMT).
"We are closely monitoring the killer drones sent by Iran and en route to Israel," said Rear Admiral Hagari. "We are working closely with the US and our partners to act against the launches and intercept them."
This "direct attack launched from Iranian soil" is a "serious and dangerous escalation," he added.
Other "waves of drones" aimed at Israel are possible, warned a military official.
Following the Iranian attack, Israel closed its airspace at 00:30 local time on Sunday (Saturday at 21:30 GMT).
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