Israel successfully intercepted the majority of Iranian missiles and drones with the assistance of foreign support
Israel, with allied support, successfully intercepted the majority of drones and missiles launched by Iran and its proxies towards Israeli territory. The attack involved over 200 UAVs, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. President Biden praised Israel’s defense capability, emphasizing U.S. commitment to Israel’s security. The incident, a response to an Iranian Consulate bombing, marked a significant escalation.
With the help of allies, Israel was able to intercept nearly all of the drones and missiles fired by Iran and its proxies at the Jewish State on Saturday night and into Sunday morning.
Israel Defense Forces spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said they and allies were able to intercept “99% of the threats launched toward Israeli territory,” which he described as “a very significant strategic achievement.”
Iranian forces launched more than 200 UAVs, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan said in a letter to U.N. Security Council President Vanessa Frazier. In the letter, he requested an emergency meeting of the council following the attack.
Saturday’s attack stands out because many of the rockets and missiles that Iran fired came from Iranian territory, which is a significant deviation from their usual actions. Tehran has spent decades investing in — training and funding — various armed militia groups throughout its Middle East, whom they often turn to when it wants to carry out attacks against Israel or Israel’s interests.
This attack largely came from Iranian territory, though some missiles and drones were launched from Iraq, Syria, and Yemen.
Iran carried out the attack against Israel in retaliation for the bombing of an Iranian Consulate in Damascus, Syria, which resulted in the death of Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps general, and a handful of others.
“Israel demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks – sending a clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten the security of Israel,” President Joe Biden said in a statement.
The president, who returned early from a weekend trip to Delaware to meet with his national security team in the Situation Room at the White House, spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and he reaffirmed “America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel.”
Ahead of the attack, which Iran publicly vowed to carry out, President Joe Biden directed the U.S. military to move aircraft and ballistic missile defense destroyers to the region.
The U.S. military “intercepted dozens of missiles and UAVs en route to Israel, launched from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen,” according to U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant twice on Saturday.
“Secretary Austin and Minister Gallant praised the extraordinary defensive measures and strong cooperation undertaken to defeat this Iranian attack against Israel,” Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder said in a readout of the second call. “Secretary Austin again stated clearly that Israel could count on full U.S. support to defend Israel against any future attacks by Iran and its regional proxies.”
The U.K. was also involved in the efforts to shoot down drones and missiles headed for Israel, and they had added assets to the region ahead of time, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Jordan shot down drones and missiles as well.
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Biden will speak with his G7 partners on Sunday to discuss the attack.
The Biden administration has sought for months to avoid an expanded conflict, though Israel’s vow to respond to any Iranian attack, in addition to the attack itself, threatens to engulf the entire region in conflict.
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