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Post by Webster on Apr 13, 2024 16:36:42 GMT -5
(The Guardian) Jordan declares state of emergencyJordan declared a state of emergency amidst Iran’s drone attacks on Israel, Reuters reported, citing state media. Two regional security sources told Reuters earlier that the country’s air defenses are prepared to intercept and shoot down any Iranian drones that enter its air space. The sources said that Jordan’s army is also on high alert and its radar systems are monitoring for drone activity.
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Post by Webster on Apr 13, 2024 16:44:51 GMT -5
(BBC News) ‘On high alert’ - Israeli military statement in fullJust moments ago, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed in a statement that drones had been launched from Iran towards Israel. Here’s the complete statement: A short while ago, Iran launched UAVs from within its territory toward Israel. The IDF is on high alert and is constantly monitoring the operational situation. The IDF Aerial Defense Array is on high alert, along with IAF fighter jets and Israeli Navy vessels that are on a defense mission in Israeli air and naval space. The IDF is monitoring all targets.
We ask the public to adhere to and follow the instructions of the Home Front Command and the official IDF announcements regarding the matter."
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Post by Webster on Apr 13, 2024 16:52:13 GMT -5
(BBC News) Iran said Israel would be 'punished' for Damascus attackBefore this Iranian attack, the country's leader accused Israel of attacking their consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus on 1 April, describing the strike as being equivalent to an attack on Iran itself. "When they attacked our consulate area, it was like they attacked our territory," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a televised speech on Wednesday. "The evil regime must be punished, and it will be punished." Israel is widely believed to be behind the attack, in which Iran said killed seven Revolutionary Guard officers, but has not officially confirmed its involvement. Sunak condemns Iran's 'reckless attack'Rishi Sunak has condemned "in the strongest terms the Iranian regime’s reckless attack against Israel". In a statement, the UK prime minister says the strikes "risk inflaming tensions and destabilising the region". He adds: "Iran has once again demonstrated that it is intent on sowing chaos in its own backyard. “The UK will continue to stand up for Israel’s security and that of all our regional partners, including Jordan and Iraq. Alongside our allies, we are urgently working to stabilise the situation and prevent further escalation. No one wants to see more bloodshed.”
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Post by Webster on Apr 13, 2024 16:53:51 GMT -5
(BBC News) Airspaces closed across Middle EastThe situation is developing rapidly, with governments around the Middle East responding to the news of the drone attacks. Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq, three nations located on the likely flight path of these drones, have shut their airspace. Iran and Israel have also closed theirs to all but military aircraft. White House: Support for Israel is IroncladOver to Washington. Iran has begun an airborne attack against Israel that is likely to unfold over a number of hours, the White House has said. US President Joe Biden is being “regularly updated on the situation by his national security team” and will meet with them this afternoon at the White House, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson adds. “His team is in constant communication with Israeli officials as well as other partners and allies,” she says. -- President Biden has been clear: our support for Israel’s security is ironclad. The United States will stand with the people of Israel and support their defence against these threats from Iran."
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Post by Webster on Apr 13, 2024 17:06:37 GMT -5
(BBC News) Iran names attack 'Operation True Promise'More from the Iranian military statement now, which confirms this evening's attack is in relatiation for Israel's "repeated crimes" - including the 1 April attack on the Iranian consulate which Iran has blamed on Israel. The statement says the attack has been named "Operation True Promise". It does not give much more detail about the nature of the attack, other than to confirm the Irainan air force launched "tens of missiles and drones towards specific targets" in Israel. (Sky News) Iran's attack will 'inflame tensions', UK's foreign secretary warnsIran's attack on Israel will "only further inflame tensions" in the Middle East, the UK's foreign secretary has warned. Sharing a post on X, Lord David Cameron also reiterated the UK's call for Iran to stop escalating the situation.
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Post by Webster on Apr 13, 2024 17:12:34 GMT -5
Frank Gardner, BBC News, Security Correspondent: This is exactly the escalation in the simmering conflict between Iran, its proxies and Israel that everyone feared: a direct attack by one nation against another.
For nearly two weeks Iran’s security establishment has been mulling its response to the 1 April airstrike on its consulate in Damascus, widely assumed to be the work of Israel, that killed several top Iranian commanders. Clearly, a decision was reached that such a major escalation – an attack that flattened a diplomatic building and therefore sovereign Iranian territory - called for an escalatory response.
Israel has several layers of air defences and it has vowed to respond to any attack on its soil and it will.
The risk now is that this tit-for-tat continues to escalate into a full-blown regional war, something most governments in the region have been trying hard to avoid ever since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October.
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Post by Webster on Apr 13, 2024 17:16:49 GMT -5
(BBC News) IRNA source says Iran has launched wave of ballistic missilesTehran has launched its first wave of ballistic missiles towards Israel, a source tells Iran's state news agency IRNA. The missiles were fired at targets "deep" into the country, they add.
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Post by Webster on Apr 13, 2024 18:21:52 GMT -5
(BBC News) First ever Iranian attack on Israel from Iranian soil - former IDF spokesmanA former Israel Defense Forces spokesman, Jonathan Conricus, says "this is day one of the new Middle East - for the first time Iran is attacking Israel directly from sovereign Iranian soil". Speaking on the BBC News Channel, he cited reports of more than 100 Iranian drones and cruise missiles heading to Israel, "with different expected times of arrival". He said "Israeli air defences are busy taking out these threats". When asked if Israel had planned for this, he said: "I think Israel is good at planning military contingencies, but they don’t always excel at the strategic part. I didn’t expect the Iranians to do this, from Iranian soil. It will drag other countries, including the US, into the conflict." Conricus added: "I think there are a few plans in the drawers, looking at targets in Iran". He said those targets would probably be sites "concerned with arming various terror groups, such as Hezbollah, Iranian proxies in Syria, the Houthis in Yemen". "It depends how much damage will be done in Israel - that will be the measure of how Israel will retaliate." Iran says it will strike again if Israel retaliatesIran is now citing Article 51 of the UN Charter for its attack. It says "the matter can be deemed concluded" - suggesting it will not launch further strikes. However, it has warned against any retaliation or any involvement by the United States. “Conducted on the strength of Article 51 of the UN Charter pertaining to legitimate defense, Iran’s military action was in response to the Zionist regime’s aggression against our diplomatic premises in Damascus," its permanent mission at the United Nations said on Twitter/X. "The matter can be deemed concluded. However, should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran’s response will be considerably more severe. It is a conflict between Iran and the rogue Israeli regime, from which the U.S. MUST STAY AWAY!” Article 51 of the UN Charter says that member states have "the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs".
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Post by Webster on Apr 13, 2024 18:23:10 GMT -5
James Landale, BBC News Diplomatic correspondent: Ballistic missiles have not been confirmed by the Israeli side at the moment. But if that is the case, this is a comprehensive, substantive attack by Iran. There are reports that some missiles have been launched by Iranian allies too - including pro-Iranian Houthis in Yemen. Hugo Bachega, BBC News Middle East correspondent in Jerusalem: Sirens were activated in Jerusalem at around 01:45 local time (23:45 BST).
Loud explosions were heard with the air defence systems shooting down objects over the city. The multiple interceptions lit up the night sky here.
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Post by Webster on Apr 13, 2024 18:38:06 GMT -5
(BBC News) US military shoots down Iranian dronesThe US military has shot down some Iranian drones headed towards Israel, two US officials have told the BBC's US partner CBS News. No information has been given yet on how they were intercepted or where. RAF fighter jets authorised to target drones in Iraq and SyriaRAF Typhoon jets have been flying over areas of Iraq and Syria tonight and have been authorised to target any Iranian drones and missiles flying within range. At present, the UK Ministry of Defence is not saying how many Typhoons have been airborne or whether they have intercepted any targets. The MoD statement makes clear that RAF jets have been flying in the same areas they’ve been conducting counter IS missions as part of Operation Shader - for several years. They are not flying over Israel.
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Post by Webster on Apr 13, 2024 18:39:13 GMT -5
(BBC News) Israel air defences 'operating at this very moment'As air raid sirens ring out, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have told Israeli civilians that they may hear blasts. "The Aerial Defense Array is fully operational and is intercepting threats wherever required, even at this very moment," it said. "At this time, numerous planes are in the air, ready to counter any threat. You may hear explosions from interceptions or debris falling." Biden briefed in White House situation roomUS President Joe Biden has been given an update by his national security advisers at the White House. "Our commitment to Israel’s security against threats from Iran and its proxies is ironclad," he says, in the post on X.
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Post by Webster on Apr 13, 2024 18:47:14 GMT -5
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Post by Webster on Apr 13, 2024 18:48:24 GMT -5
Lyse Doucet, BBC News Chief international correspondent: This is uncharted territory fraught with risk and unpredictability.
Iran and Israel have fought shadow wars for decades, but for the first time Iran is now targeting Israel directly from Iranian soil. This is no longer a confrontation led by Iran’s array of powerful proxies across the region against an enemy which has long kept silent about its own attacks on Iranian assets and targeted assassinations.
Israel describes Iran as the world’s greatest sponsor of terrorism; for Iran, hostility towards Israel, what it calls the “Zionist regime” is a core tenet of its 1979 revolutionary doctrine.
The risk of confrontation had risen with every month the Gaza war has ground on.
Iran has long prided itself on playing a long game, on exercising “strategic patience". Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has avoided all-out war ever since he came to power in 1989 in the shadow of the destructive Iran-Iraq war. Now the world waits to see the impact of this unprecedented strike.
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Post by Webster on Apr 13, 2024 19:03:09 GMT -5
(NBC News) U.K. moves resources to Middle East to ‘encourage de-escalation’ of attacksThe U.K. is moving Royal Air Force jets and air refueling tankers to the Middle East "to encourage de-escalation and prevent further attacks," the Ministry of Defense said in a statement. The statement said the jets from the U.K. will intercept airborne attacks near existing missions by the country. "We will continue to cooperate closely with our regional partners in the interest of de-escalation," the ministry statement said. House schedule to change next week in light of Iran's attack on IsraelThe House's schedule will change for next week, said Rep. Steve Scalise, the House Republican majority leader, and it will refocus on considering legislation to support Israel and hold Iran accountable. "In light of Iran’s unjustified attack on Israel, the House will move from its previously announced legislative schedule next week to instead consider legislation that supports our ally Israel and holds Iran and its terrorist proxies accountable," Scalise said.
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Post by Webster on Apr 13, 2024 19:17:41 GMT -5
Joe Inwood, International Correspondent, BBC Newsnight: It seems that the idea behind Iran's attack is to overwhelm Israel’s advanced defences with cheap drones, to give its more sophisticated ballistic missiles a better chance of hitting their targets.
It is a similar tactic seen elsewhere, says Justin Crump from the defence analysts Sibylline. “Iran’s tactics seem to have drawn on lessons from Ukraine, where the same drones have been used mixed with cruise and ballistic missiles to overwhelm air defences," he says.
A few months ago, we were taken to an Israeli Iron Dome battery. It consisted of a number of interconnected launchers each loaded with 16 missiles.
Each one is able to take down an incoming drone or missile in mid-air.
Iran seems to have calculated that getting past this system requires quantity as well as quality. According to Crump, however, it is a strategy that is far from certain to succeed. “Israel is not Ukraine; US and likely UK aircraft are seemingly helping destroy targets," he says. "And the Israeli Air Force is highly capable. Moreover, Israel has various anti-missile systems that will be hard to overwhelm.”
The extent to which this unprecedented attack is able to penetrate Israel’s air defences, and the damage it can do, will likely influence the level of any Israeli response.
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