Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Sunday warned Israel and its allies against any “reckless” action in response to Tehran’s deadly attack on its Damascus consulate following a drone and missile attack.
“If the Zionist regime or its supporters show reckless behavior, they will receive a decisive and strong response,” said Raisi.
Iran has fired more than 200 drones and missiles at Israel, said the Israeli military, amid a long-running secret war between regional enemies.
Iran’s delegation to the UN said: “Iran’s military action is a response to the Zionist regime’s aggression against our diplomatic office in Damascus.” According to the mission, the attack “was carried out in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter on self-defense.”
Iran’s allies launched a coordinated attack on Israeli positions, with sirens blaring in many areas and explosions heard by AFP reporters in the skies above Jerusalem early Sunday morning.
Iran has threatened to retaliate against Israel for its April 1 airstrike on the Damascus consular compound, and Washington has repeatedly warned that punitive action is imminent today.
People in Jerusalem sought shelter, while some residents collected water.
“As you can see it’s empty, everyone ran home,” said Eliyahu Barakat, 49, a grocery store owner in Jerusalem’s Mamilla district.
Objects are seen in the sky above Jerusalem after Iran launched drones and missiles at Israel. PHOTO: Reuters
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have confirmed drone and missile attacks on Israel in response to attacks in Damascus, two of which included Gen.
Ballistic missiles were fired from slow-moving drones about an hour later, security officials said.
Hundreds of Iranians gathered in Tehran’s Palestine Square, raising Iranian and Palestinian flags to mark the unprecedented military action against Israel.
Israel’s military said Iran fired “more than 200 drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.”
“We have intercepted the majority of incoming missiles so far,” Hagari said.
The military said it had prepared dozens of fighter jets to counter “all weather threats”.
Regional ally Iran joined the attack, and Yemen’s Houthis also fired drones at Israel, according to Ambrey, the security agency. Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement said it fired rockets at Israeli positions in the occupied Golan Heights at the same time, as well as a second attack hours later.
Tehran’s official IRNA news agency said the attack, which came amid a war between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas in the Gaza Strip, “struck a heavy blow” at an airbase in the Negev desert. The army said there were only minor casualties.
