IDF confirms more than 300 drones and missiles launched at IsraelIran launched more than 300 “threats of various types” toward Israel, including ballistic missiles, drones and cruise missiles, IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee has said.
“We have intercepted 99 percent of threats towards Israeli territory. This is a very important strategic achievement,” Adraee said.
In a post on X, the IDF spokesperson gave a breakdown on the number of weapons used to target Israel:
Out of about 170 drones launched by Iran – not a single one of them penetrated the State of Israel, as air force warplanes and our and our allies’ air defense systems intercepted dozens of them.
Of the more than 30 cruise missiles launched by Iran – none of the missiles penetrated Israeli territory. Our warplanes intercepted 25 missiles outside the country’s borders.
Out of more than 120 ballistic missiles, a very small number penetrated the Israeli border, while the rest of the missiles were intercepted. This small number fell at an air force base in Nafatim and caused minor damage to infrastructure.
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Japan has strongly condemned Iran’s attack on Israel, calling it an escalation and saying it was deeply concerned at the situation, in a statement released by the foreign minister on Sunday.
“This attack is one that further worsens the current Middle East situation. We are deeply concerned and strongly condemn this sort of escalation,” the statement said.
Jordan and Iraq reopen their airspaceJordan and Iraq reopened their airspace on Sunday after closing it late on Saturday as Iran launched its attack against Israel, both countries said on Sunday.
Jordan’s state TV said the country had resumed air traffic operations, citing aviation authorities. The opening of its airspace came more than three hours earlier than scheduled.
Iraq’s aviation authority said security risks had now been overcome.
Julian Borger
Both Joe Biden and the Iranians are well aware that Benjamin Netanyahu would ideally like to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities, which he has long seen as an existential threat to Israel. Reducing them to rubble would be very hard without US help, but it is possible that he and other Israeli hawks could try seize this opportunity to deliver that ambition.
NBC News reported on Saturday night that some top administration officials are “concerned Israel could do something quickly in response to Iran’s attacks without thinking through potential fallout afterward”.
The report said Biden had privately expressed concern that Netanyahu is “trying to drag the US more deeply into a broader conflict”, citing three people familiar with the president’s comments.
In the short term, Washington can draw comfort from a few signs any Israeli response will not at least be immediate. Israel has called for a UN security council session on the attack, which will happen at 4pm New York time on Sunday. It would be surprising if a counter-attack was launched before that session.
Another possible sign that the response could be muted was Yoav Gallant’s conversation with his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin, after the attacks. According to the Israeli defence ministry, Gallant “emphasised that the defence establishment is prepared for any further attempts to attack the state of Israel”. His comments made no mention of Israel striking back.
A third positive sign in the early hours of Sunday was a reassurance from an Israeli official cited by the New York Times that “Israel’s response would be coordinated with its allies”.
Israel’s response to Iran attack will rest with war cabinet
Julian Borger
The prospect of a major regional war in the Middle East hangs in the balance on Sunday morning, when Benjamin Netanyahu’s war cabinet is due to meet to decide Israel’s response to Iran’s drone and missile attack.
Netanyahu’s ministers voted in the middle of the night to delegate that decision to the tiny war cabinet, comprising Netanyahu, defence minister Yoav Gallant and Benny Gantz, a Netanyahu opponent who joined the government as minister without portfolio after the Hamas 7 October attack, which began the spiral of violence that has brought Israel and Iran to the brink of war.
These three prickly rivals will decide the next step, with the fate of the region now resting in their hands.
As of early Sunday morning, the only reported casualty from the aerial onslaught was a 10-year-old boy in Israel’s southern desert, from the country’s most marginalised community, the Bedouins. A southern military base was lightly damaged.
In the run-up to the expected Iranian assault, US officials had hypothesised just such an outcome: that Iranian projectiles would fall in the desert and not cause significant casualties. In that case, the officials predicted, Washington would urge strongly against a rash Israeli response.
Iran is clearly hoping for such a muted response. In a message delivered through its mission at the UN, Tehran suggested hopefully that in the wake of its retaliation: “The matter can be deemed concluded.”
The office of Benjamin Netanyahu has said Hamas has rejected the latest proposal for a deal to return Israeli hostages.
The statement said that the rejection of the proposals showed that Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, did not want a deal and was trying to exploit tensions with Iran and bring about a regional escalation of the conflict.
“Israel will continue to strive to realize the objectives of the war with Hamas with full force, and leave no stone unturned to return the 133 hostages from Gaza forthwith,” the office of the Israeli prime minister said.
The rejection of the proposal by the three mediators, which included the most significant flexibility on Israel’s part, proves that Sinwar does not want a humanitarian deal and the return of the hostages, is continuing to exploit the tension with Iran,
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) April 14, 2024 Minor damage to infrastructure at Nevatim airbase, reports IDFAn Israeli military spokesperson has said that a “very small number” of ballistic missiles that penetrated Israel’s border fell at the Nevatim airbase in southern Israel.
There was reportedly “minor damage to infrastructure”.
The spokesperson said that the base was still operational and posted a videos of a warplane landing at its runway. The Guardian was unable to verify the video.
Iran thought that it would paralyze the work of the air base and harm our air capabilities, but it failed, as warplanes continue to land and take off inside the air base and depart for defensive and offensive missions, including F-35 stealth aircraft.
Earlier in the evening, the IDF reported several injuries at the airbase.
Israeli airspace reopensIsrael reopened its airspace as of 7.30am local time on Sunday, the country’s airports authority said.
The authority said flight schedules from Tel Aviv were expected to be affected and travellers should check flight times.
Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant holds operational situation assessmentIsrael’s defence minister has said he has completed an operational situation assessment with senior members of Israel’s defence establishment and concluded that the IDF “thwarted” the attack from Iran “in an impressive manner.”
Together with the United States and additional partners, we managed to defend the territory of the State of Israel. Very little damage was caused – this is the result of the IDF’s impressive operations.”
Gallant said that while “the campaign is not over yet”, Israel “thwarted the most significant wave [of the attack], and we did so successfully.”
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant Israel’s war cabinet meeting. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty ImagesIt’s now 8am in Israel. Hours have passed since Iran launched its first direct attack on Israeli territory, raising the threat of a wider regional conflict.
The Israeli military has said that nearly all the drones and missile fired by Iran and its proxies across the region were intercepted. Reports of any damage inside Israel are so far minimal.
Joe Biden has spoken to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reiterating US support for Israel.
A panoramic view of Jerusalem’s Old City at dawn of, after Iran launched a drone and missile attack on Israel. Photograph: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty ImagesA statement from Iran’s mission to the UN said the attack was in response to a strike on an Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus on 1 April and the “matter can be deemed concluded.”
Biden will convene a meeting of G7 leader on Sunday as the world watches to see what shape Israel’s response to the overnight attack will take.
In his first public comments since the attack began, Benjamin Netanyahu posted a brief statement to X, saying: “We intercepted. We repelled. Together we will win”.
יירטנו. בלמנו.
יחד ננצח 🇮🇱
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) April 14, 2024Iran attack on Israel ‘foiled’ – IDF spokespersonAn IDF spokesperson has said that the attack by Iran has been “foiled”.
“Iran has committed a dangerous act and is pushing the Middle East towards escalation. We do everything necessary to protect the security of the citizens of Israel,” IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee has said.
Reuters is reporting that the Israeli military is discussing options for “follow-up operations”.
IDF confirms more than 300 drones and missiles launched at IsraelIran launched more than 300 “threats of various types” toward Israel, including ballistic missiles, drones and cruise missiles, IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee has said.
“We have intercepted 99 percent of threats towards Israeli territory. This is a very important strategic achievement,” Adraee said.
In a post on X, the IDF spokesperson gave a breakdown on the number of weapons used to target Israel:
Out of about 170 drones launched by Iran – not a single one of them penetrated the State of Israel, as air force warplanes and our and our allies’ air defense systems intercepted dozens of them.
Of the more than 30 cruise missiles launched by Iran – none of the missiles penetrated Israeli territory. Our warplanes intercepted 25 missiles outside the country’s borders.
Out of more than 120 ballistic missiles, a very small number penetrated the Israeli border, while the rest of the missiles were intercepted. This small number fell at an air force base in Nafatim and caused minor damage to infrastructure.
The attack by Iranian drones and missiles poses perhaps the most serious challenge to Israel’s air defence system that has ever been seen.
An IDF spokesperson said most of the drones and missiles fired by Iran were intercepted outside Israel’s borders, while a limited number fell inside the country’s territory.
“Air defense fighters using the “Arrow” system – together with strategic partner countries – successfully intercepted most of the launches before they crossed into the territory of the country,” Israeli army spokesperson Rear Adm Daniel Hagari said in a statement earlier.
The Arrow is a system developed with the US, and is designed to intercept long-range missiles, including the types of ballistic missiles Iran said it launched on Saturday. The Arrow has also been used in the current conflict to intercept long-range missiles launched by Houthi militants in Yemen, the Associate Press reported.
Among its arsenal of defences, Israel can also rely on the Patriot, a US-made system which is the oldest weapon in Israel’s missile-defence system and which is used to shoot down aircraft, including drones.
The Iron Dome is also available to shoot down short-range rockets. The system – developed by Israel with US backing – has intercepted thousands of rockets since it was activated in 2011. Israel says it has a success rate of over 90%.
US forces intercepted ‘dozens’ of missiles and drones, says defence secretaryUS secretary of defence, Lloyd Austin has said that US forces intercepted “dozens of missiles and UAVs en route to Israel.”
In a statement, Austin said they were launched from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen, adding US forces remained ready to provide support for Israel’s defence.
I spoke to Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant for a second time today to reiterate ironclad U.S. support for Israel’s defense in light of Iran’s unprecedented attack from Iranian territory. We reviewed the extraordinary defensive measures and strong cooperation undertaken to defeat this Iranian attack against Israel.”
I spoke to Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant for a second time today to reiterate ironclad U.S. support for Israel’s defense in light of Iran’s unprecedented attack from Iranian territory. We reviewed the extraordinary defensive measures and strong cooperation undertaken…
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) April 14, 2024 US Senate majority leader calls for for supplemental aid bill to be passedUS Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer has added his voice to the growing chorus of congressional leaders calling for the supplemental aid bill to be passed.
Schumer said it appeared very few drones had made it through Israel’s defences and there were few casualties.
I just spoke with top administration officials and they confirmed reports that U.S. and Israeli forces acted together to help protect Israel from Iran launched missiles and drones.
While condemning the attack, Schumer said the clearest way to help Israel was for “the House to quickly pass the Senate’s bipartisan national security supplemental next week.”
The $95bn supplemental spending bill includes $14bn for Israel, in addition to $60bn for Ukraine, support for Taiwan and billions of dollars in humanitarian assistance. It was passed by the Senate with 70% support in February but has been blocked in the House.
House majority leader Steve Scalise said in a statement on Saturday that there will be a change to the House schedule to consider legislation that supports Israel, but it was unclear whether Scalise was referring to a stand-alone bill to aid Israel or the $95bn supplemental spending bill.
China’s foreign ministry has said it is deeply concerned about escalation, in remarks published on the ministry’s website on Sunday.
“China calls on relevant parties to remain calm and exercise restraint to avoid further escalation of tensions,” the spokesperson said in response to a question about Iran’s strikes.
This round of tensions is a “spillover from the Gaza conflict”, and quelling that conflict is “a top priority”, the spokesperson said.