An anti-missile system operates after Iran launched drones and missiles towards Israel, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel April 14, 2024. Photo: Reuters/Amir Cohen
Iran launched a swarm of explosive drones and fired missiles at Israel late on Saturday in its first ever direct attack on Israeli territory, risking a major escalation as the United States pledged "ironclad" backing for Israel.
Sirens wailed and Reuters journalists in Israel said they heard distant heavy thuds and bangs from what local media called aerial interceptions of explosive drones. The ambulance service said a 10-year-old boy was critically injured.
Israel's military said more than 100 drones were launched from Iran, with security sources in Iraq and Jordan reporting dozens seen flying overhead and U.S. officials saying the U.S. military had shot some down.
Israel's Channel 12 TV cited an unnamed Israeli official as saying there would be a "significant response" to the attack.
Iran's state news agency cited a source saying its military had also launched a wave of ballistic missiles. Israel's military also said missiles were fired, but there was no immediate report of these striking in Israel.
Iran has vowed retaliation for what it called an Israeli strike on its Damascus consulate on April 1 that killed seven Guards officers including two senior commanders and said its strike was a punishment for "Israeli crimes". Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the consulate attack.
"Should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran's response will be considerably more severe," the Iranian mission to the United Nations said, warning the U.S. to "stay away". However, it also said Iran now "deemed the matter concluded".
U.S. President Joe Biden, who on Friday had warned Iran against an attack, cut short a visit to his home state of Delaware to meet national security advisers in the White House Situation Room, an official said. He pledged to stand with Israel.
The Gaza war between Israel and Hamas, now in its seventh month, has driven up tensions in the region, spreading to fronts with Lebanon and Syria and drawing long-range fire at Israeli targets from as far away as Yemen and Iraq.
British maritime security company Ambrey said in a statement that drones were also reportedly launched against Israel by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group.
Those clashes now threaten to morph into a direct open conflict pitting Iran and its regional allies against Israel and its main supporter the United States, with regional power Egypt urging "utmost restraint".
While Israel and Iran have been bitter foes for decades, their long feud has mostly unfolded via proxies or by targeting each other's forces operating in third countries.
U.S. and British warplanes were involved in shooting down some Israel-bound drones over the Iraq-Syria border area, Channel 12 reported. Three U.S. officials said the U.S. military had shot down drone aircraft without saying how many.
While Israel and Iran have been bitter foes for decades, their long feud has mostly unfolded via proxies or by targeting each other's forces operating in third countries.
U.S. and British warplanes were involved in shooting down some Israel-bound drones over the Iraq-Syria border area, Channel 12 reported. Three U.S. officials said the U.S. military had shot down drone aircraft without saying how many.
Source: Reuters
伊朗對以色列發動報復性攻擊
伊朗週六晚間向以色列發射了一批爆炸性無人機並向以色列發射飛彈，這是其首次對以色列領土的直接攻擊，隨著美國承諾「鐵定」支持以色列，局勢可能會大幅升級。
警報聲響起，以色列的路透社記者表示，他們聽到遠處傳來沉重的撞擊聲和爆炸聲，當地媒體稱這是爆炸性無人機的空中攔截。 救護車服務部門稱，一名 10 歲男孩傷勢嚴重。
以色列軍方表示，有 100 多架無人機從伊朗發射，伊拉克和約旦的安全消息人士稱，有數十架無人機飛過以色列上空，美國官員稱，美軍擊落了一些無人機。
以色列第12頻道電視台引述一位不願透露姓名的以色列官員的話說，將對這次攻擊做出「重大反應」。
伊朗國家通訊社引述消息人士的話稱，伊朗軍方還發射了一波彈道飛彈。 以色列軍方也表示發射了飛彈，但目前還沒有關於以色列發生攻擊事件的立即通報。
伊朗發誓要對其所謂的以色列4月1日對其大馬士革領事館的襲擊進行報復，襲擊導致包括兩名高級指揮官在內的七名警衛人員死亡，並表示此次襲擊是對「以色列罪行」的懲罰。 以色列既沒有證實也沒有否認對領事館攻擊負責。
伊朗駐聯合國代表團表示，“如果以色列政權再犯錯，伊朗的反應將更加嚴厲”，並警告美國“遠離”。 不過，它也表示，伊朗現在「認為此事已經結束」。
一位官員表示，美國總統拜登週五曾警告伊朗不要發動攻擊，但他縮短了對家鄉特拉華州的訪問，前往白宮戰情室會見國家安全顧問。 他承諾與以色列站在一起。
以色列和哈馬斯之間的加薩戰爭現已進入第七個月，加劇了該地區的緊張局勢，蔓延到黎巴嫩和敘利亞的前線，並從遠至也門和伊拉克的以色列目標發動遠程火力攻擊。
英國海事安全公司安布雷在聲明中表示，據報道也門與伊朗結盟的胡塞組織也向以色列發射了無人機。
這些衝突現在有可能演變成伊朗及其地區盟友與以色列及其主要支持者美國之間的直接公開衝突，地區大國埃及敦促「最大限度克制」。
儘管以色列和伊朗幾十年來一直是死敵，但他們的長期不和大多是透過代理人或針對對方在第三國活動的軍隊展開的。
根據第 12 頻道報道，美國和英國戰機在伊拉克和敘利亞邊境地區擊落了一些飛往以色列的無人機。 三名美國官員表示，美軍擊落了無人機，但沒有透露具體數量。
儘管以色列和伊朗幾十年來一直是死敵，但他們的長期不和大多是透過代理人或針對對方在第三國活動的軍隊展開的。
根據第 12 頻道報道，美國和英國戰機在伊拉克和敘利亞邊境地區擊落了一些飛往以色列的無人機。 三名美國官員表示，美軍擊落了無人機，但沒有透露具體數量。
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