Iran launched armed drones toward Israeli targets late on Saturday, April 13, in response to Israeli shelling that targeted the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus.
The spokesman for the Israeli army, Daniel Hagari, stated that Iran launched a total of more than 300 projectiles at Israel, including 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles, and 120 ballistic missiles, 99% of which were intercepted by air defenses.
The Iranian Permanent Mission to the United Nations via “X” stated that the Iranian military action, carried out under Article “51” of the United Nations Charter concerning legitimate defense, was a response to the aggression of the Zionist regime against its diplomatic premises in Damascus.
The mission continued, “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 US must stay away!”
Reuters quoted security sources saying that American fighter jets shot down drones in the provinces of As-Suwayda and Daraa in southern Syria near the Jordanian border.
The correspondent of Enab Baladi in Daraa reported that the sounds of Jordanian and American warplanes countering the Iranian drones were heard until late at night.
The correspondent added that sounds of explosions accompanied the aircraft in the sky over the city.
According to what Reuters reported from two regional security sources, the Jordanian Air Force intercepted and shot down dozens of Iranian drones as they violated its airspace en route to Israel.
The sources added that the army is on high alert and radar systems are monitoring any activity of drones coming from the direction of Syria and Iraq.
Threats of retaliation
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, pledged on Sunday, April 14, that his country would achieve victory after he mentioned that the Israeli army had shot down almost all the drones and missiles launched by Iran, numbering more than 300, according to Reuters.
Israeli Channel 12 reported, quoting an unnamed Israeli official, that there will be a “significant response” to the Iranian attack, according to the agency.
Following Israel’s demands to condemn the Iranian attack and to designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization, the United Nations Security Council is scheduled to hold an emergency meeting this afternoon.
Bombing of the Iranian consulate
The Israeli bombing of the Iranian consulate resulted in the deaths of 13 people, including 7 members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and six Syrians, on April 1, according to what the official Iranian television announced.
Among the deceased in the attack were Major General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, responsible in the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard Corps for Lebanon and Syria, and General Mohammad Hadi Haj Rahimi.
Earlier, the Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi, condemned the Israeli attack on his country’s consulate building in Damascus, stating that his country would punish Israel.