Iran said it launched dozens of drones and ballistic missiles towards Israel on Saturday in a major attack following days of acute tension building up in the region and warnings from the US and elsewhere about a wider conflict erupting.
Air attack warning sirens began wailing over Jerusalem just before 2am local time on Sunday after the weapons were fired a few hours earlier from Iran with US and Jordanian military assisting Israel’s air defenses in intercepting the first incoming barrage.
With weapons believed to be still in the air en route to Israel, Iran’s mission to the United Nations posted on X: “Iran’s military action was in response to the Zionist regime’s aggression against our diplomatic premises in Damascus. The matter can be deemed concluded.”
However, it threatened more severe action in the face of further Israeli aggression and warned the US and Jordan specifically not to assist Israel.
Edit: here are links to the NYT and BBC live feeds.
Edit 2: updated summary and archive to reflect article changes.
I think it’s fair to rush to intercept. It’s a purely defensive action, and if they’re able to intercept the entire barrage of attacks, Israel may not retaliate. It’s in everyone’s best interest – Iran included – that this doesn’t escalate even farther and farther.
Iran had all the right to do this, but that doesn’t mean they should have. The ideal situation would be for the US and company to prevent attacks from landing and then telling Israel to end their genocidal operations unless they want to face the next wave themselves.
And if Israel refuses, then let Netanyahu handle it himself. Make good on our threat to not help.
Unfortunately, I’m not certain it’s in Israel’s best interest that this doesn’t escalate. They can probably do serious damage to Iran whereas the reverse is far less certain (evidently from this attack). And they knew very well that their embassy attack will bring Iranian retaliation. Now they’ll just use that for an even greater response.
“You’re out of office and getting prosecuted right away when this war is over!”
Netanyahu:
Starting a two front war is never a good idea. Israel has the advantage over any single country in the region but it would be stupid of them to escalate that into multiple countries.
From coverage I just read:
My hot take: at least Iran didn’t shoot down its own civilian airliner this time thinking they were taking out a US bomber or whatever. My fear is that Iran thinks it’s ordained by Dog to restore Islam to its rightful place (read: cleanse Israel of all the Jews and and put decent Muslim folk in charge of all the holy piles of rocks), and maybe that means their strategic calculus isn’t exactly sober. Perhaps they think they can win a war with Israel, what with Dog on their side, and they absolutely cannot. Iran has said they are willing to let this wave of attacks be the end of the matter so let’s hope they are sober enough to not keep going blow for blow. So far it seems to be a proportionate response by Iran (given that almost nothing seems to have made it through (though I am not sure what their targets were, specifically)). I’d like to see Iran have a nice Arab spring and see the Supreme Leader get the respect he deserves just like Gaddafi, but I’d be just ducky if it could be a drone strike. Hopefully this doesn’t devolve into utter catastrophe and a cascade of failed states.
This drone attack by Iran may have more to do with “showing” it’s little vassal terrorist groups it’s prodding and bankrolling into doing Iran’s dirty work that Iran is “doing” something militarily in support of Hamas and the Houthi.
What is a drone strike that is going to take 8 to 10 hours to arrive supposed to accomplish when it’s so easy to spot coming well ahead of time. It’s not like Iran doesn’t have missiles that can hit Israel in a handful of minutes if Iran really wanted to do damage.
I’d say the best that could be hoped for is Israel shoots everything down.
Before everyone attacks me, remember that anti-aircraft missiles are good for defense but not offense.