Israel remains on alert on Sunday after the massive drone and missile attack launched overnight by Tehran, in response to a strike against its consulate in Damascus, an operation condemned by the international community which fears a regional conflagration.
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This first direct attack ever carried out by the Islamic Republic against Israeli territory was “foiled” announced Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari. “The campaign is not yet over, we must remain on alert,” he added.
In the process, the head of the Iranian armed forces praised an attack which “achieved all its objectives”. Following suit, President Ebrahim Raïssi declared that the “punishment of the aggressor has been carried out”, warning Israel that any “reckless” response to this attack would result in a much “stronger” military response.
At the request of Israel, the UN Security Council will meet urgently on Sunday. Its leader, Antonio Guterres, condemned “a serious escalation”, like many European capitals including France and Germany.
Alongside the Iranian attack, Tehran allies Lebanese Hezbollah and Yemeni Houthi rebels fired rockets and drones toward Israeli territory.
“Together with the United States and other partners, we have succeeded in defending the territory of the State of Israel,” said Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
“We intercepted 99% of the shots towards Israel,” said Daniel Hagari.
Israel announced the reopening of its airspace on Sunday morning, as did Jordan and Lebanon, Israel’s neighboring countries, as well as Iraq, which borders Iran.
The Iranian attack came as Israel has been engaged for more than six months in a war against Palestinian Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
US President Joe Biden renewed his “unwavering” support for Israel and announced a G7 meeting to coordinate a “united diplomatic response” to the Iranian attack. Italy, which currently chairs this group of industrialized countries, has indicated that this meeting will be held by videoconference early Sunday afternoon.
According to the Israeli military, Iran “launched a swarm of 300 killer drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.” Only a few ballistic missiles “entered and lightly hit” a military base, which remains active, said Daniel Hagari.
The official Iranian agency Irna reported “serious damage in the most important air base in the Negev (south)”.
In addition to several minor injuries, a 7-year-old girl from a Bedouin community in southern Israel was placed in intensive care, Mr. Hagari said.
The Iranian attack is a response to the April 1 strike that destroyed the Iranian consulate in Damascus and cost the lives of two senior Revolutionary Guard officers. Iran accused Israel of the strike, but the latter neither confirmed nor denied it.
Shortly before 2:00 a.m. Sunday morning (11:00 p.m. GMT Saturday), a series of detonations froze Jerusalem. The sky was punctuated with red and yellow lights filmed by AFP, and by many residents who shared the images on social networks.
Images of projectiles above the iconic golden dome of the Dome of the Rock, at one of Islam’s holiest sites, in the heart of the old city, are circling the platforms.
About an hour after the announcement of the launch of the Iranian operation, called “Honest Promise”, the Irna agency indicated that “a first wave of ballistic missiles” had been launched “deep” into Israeli territory.
Citing the Revolutionary Guards, Iran’s ideological army, state television reported “dozens of missiles and drones” fired “at specific targets.”
At the same time, Tehran called on the United States to stay away from its conflict with Israel.
“This is a conflict between Iran and the rogue Israeli regime, from which the United States MUST STAY AWAY!,” the Iranian mission to the UN said on X.
With cries of “Death to Israel”, “Death to America”, a few thousand people gathered in the main cities of Iran to greet the Iranian attack.
Just after the start of the operation, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on X: “the evil regime will be punished.”
Egypt warned of a “risk of regional expansion of the conflict”. Saudi Arabia, for its part, called for “the greatest restraint”. Beijing expressed its “deep concern” and Moscow called for “restraint”.
On Saturday, Revolutionary Guard maritime special forces seized a ship accused of being “linked” to Israel, with 25 crew members on board, in Gulf waters.
Iran, which does not recognize the existence of Israel, is an ally of Hamas, author of an unprecedented bloody attack on Israeli soil on October 7 which provoked a devastating Israeli offensive in Gaza, where 33,729 people, mainly civilians, died, according to the Palestinian Islamist movement.
Hamas, which took power in Gaza in 2007, is classified as a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union.
His rejection of the truce proposal submitted by the mediators shows that the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Yahya “Sinouar does not want a humanitarian agreement, nor the return of the hostages,” writes the Israeli Mossad, in a press release on Sunday .
On October 7, Hamas commandos infiltrated from Gaza carried out an attack in southern Israel, resulting in the death of 1,170 people, the majority civilians, according to a report established by AFP based on official data. More than 250 people have been kidnapped and 129 remain detained in Gaza, 34 of whom have died, according to Israeli officials.