U.S. fires down Iranian drones headed for Israel, officials say.
BY SIRAJ APRIL 14 2024 7 AM EST
Late on Saturday night, Iran reportedly fired missiles and drones from its territory in the direction of Israel, according to the Israeli military and Iranian state channels. It was revealed by officials from the United States on Saturday evening that the United States attacked some of the Iranian drones in an effort to strike a balance between providing assistance to its friend and avoiding further involvement in a conflict in the region.
This is the first time that Tehran has launched a full-scale military campaign against Israel, beginning with the barrage. According to reports from state-run media, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran fired “dozens of drones and missiles” in the direction of Israel. According to what was stated, the strike was directed at “specific targets” in Israel.
Iran claims four attack sites.
According to a report that was released by the Iranian state-run Tasnim News Agency, the attacks that Iran launched against Israel were designed to be “four-pronged.”
According to the agency, which is associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the missile and drone assaults were launched against Israel from sites in Iran, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen. These terrorist organizations were responsible for the attacks. The large military force Hezbollah in Lebanon, as well as smaller armed groups in Iraq and the Houthis, a rebel group in Yemen, are all supported by Iran.
Throughout the night of Saturday, air raid sirens could be heard all over Israel, from the southern region to the northern region, as well as in Jerusalem. There were initial reports that indicated that missile defense systems were successful in stopping the majority of the attacks.
In the hours that followed the start of the assaults, the Revolutionary Guard of Iran issued a second statement, in which it issued a warning to the United States, stating that “any interference or participation in striking Iran’s interests will result in a decisive and regretful response.”
According to officials from the United States, air defense systems in the region of the United States participated in shooting down several of the Iranian drones that were targeting Israel. The manner in which Israel will react to the attacks is not quite obvious. Iran has threatened to increase the severity of its attacks in the event that Israel retaliates.
U.S. intercepts Iranian drones attacking Israel continuously
U.S. forces brought down Iranian attack drones during Iran’s extended onslaught on Israel on Saturday, authorities said, assisting its partner without getting involved in a regional war.
One official said U.S. forces “continue to shoot down Iranian-launched drones targeting Israel.” A second official said the U.S. military downed one Iranian drone, and a third stated it targeted drones. Due to the sensitivity of the topic, all three officials talked anonymously.
Officials did not explain drone interceptions. U.S. fighter jets and air-defense systems have destroyed drones for months.
The Pentagon sent more warships and planes to the Middle East before Iran attacked Israel.
On Friday, U.S. authorities announced the plan with little details as President Biden claimed the US was “devoted to the defense of Israel” and predicted that “Iran will not succeed.”
According to a statement released on Saturday by the White House National Security Council, the US would “support” Israel’s defense efforts against “these threats from Iran.” The statement also mentioned that members of the president’s team were in touch with Israeli authorities and other US friends and partners.
An American official stated that the purpose of the influx of more military equipment was “to bolster regional deterrence efforts and increase force protection” for the approximately 3,500 American troops stationed in Iraq and Syria. Defense officials have expressed grave concern for the safety of these troops, as they have been repeatedly attacked by militia groups backed by Iran in both countries. This comes after Tehran threatened retaliation for an Israeli strike in Damascus, Syria, on April 1 that killed senior members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
After the Pentagon targeted a senior militia operative in Baghdad and launched a wave of airstrikes on other sites in Iraq and Syria that they said were used by Iranian forces and affiliates, U.S. officials had stated in recent days that Washington hoped to maintain an uneasy détente with militias. Three American service men were murdered at a Jordanian base in January in a drone attack, prompting the United States to launch these strikes.
It was a source of frustration for senior Pentagon officials that Israel had not informed the United States government before striking Damascus. This week, officials informed The Washington Post that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin conveyed his concerns to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, highlighting the consequences for U.S. soldiers and interests in the region.
For a number of months, the United States Navy has had the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower, destroyers Carney and Arleigh Burke stationed in the area. Attack drones and missiles launched by Houthi terrorists in Yemen, who are backed by Iran, have been regularly intercepted and neutralized by fighter aircraft from the Eisenhower and the warships’ missile-defense systems.
