Jerusalem: Israel hailed the success of its defences in the face of an unprecedented attack by Iran involving hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.
An Israeli military spokesman said Sunday the launches numbered more than 300, but 99 per cent of them were intercepted. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Iran fired 170 drones, more than 30 cruise missiles and more than 120 ballistic missiles. Several ballistic missiles reached Israeli territory, causing minor damage to an air base.
The Iranian attack Saturday, less than two weeks after a suspected Israeli strike in Syria that killed two Iranian generals in an Iranian consular building, marked the first time Iran has launched a direct military assault on Israel, despite decades of enmity dating back to the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Israel and Iran have been on a collision course throughout Israel’s six-month war against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. The war erupted after Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two militant groups backed by Iran, carried out a devastating cross-border attack on October 7 that killed 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped 250 others.
An Israeli offensive in Gaza has caused widespread devastation and killed over 33,000 people, according to local health officials.
On the other hand, US President Joe Biden cut short a weekend stay at his Delaware beach house to meet with his national security team and monitor the situation in the Middle East as Iran launched an attack against Israel.
Airspace reopened
Israel has reopened its airspace following the attack on its territory by Iran.
Israel’s Transportation Ministry said the country’s main international airport has resumed operations. It said domestic airports would reopen throughout the day Sunday.
UNSC calls emergency meeting
The UN Security Council called an emergency meeting for 4pm EDT (2000 GMT) Sunday after Iran launched hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles at Israel.
“The gravity and volume of the attacks is unprecedented,” Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan wrote in a letter to the council late Saturday calling for the meeting.
AP