The IDF and allied militaries intercepted 99% of the drones and missiles fired by Tehran and its terror proxies.
Joshua Marks
Featured Image: People take cover in a stairway in Jerusalem, as a red siren alert is sounded, when drones and missiles fired from Iran into Israel, April 14, 2024. Photo by Arie Leib Abrams/Flash90.
(JNS)
Israel’s airspace reopened on Sunday morning following an unprecedented direct attack from Iran and its terror proxies during the overnight hours that saw hundreds of drones and missiles fired at the Jewish state.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant held an operational situation assessment on Sunday morning with other senior officials in the security establishment. He praised the coordinated response that limited the damage and warned the public to remain vigilant as the campaign continues.
“Overnight, the whole world saw the true face of Iran—a terrorist state that attacked the State of Israel from a distance of 1,500 km and in doing so also attempted to employ all of its proxies. On the other hand, the world also saw the power of a coalition, and how Israel, together with the United States and additional partners, stood together and thwarted this attack in a way that is unparalleled,” the minister said.
“The State of Israel was attacked [by Iran] with hundreds of missiles and UAVs, and the IDF thwarted this attack in an impressive manner,” he continued.
“Together with the United States and additional partners, we managed to defend the territory of the State of Israel. Very little damage was caused—this is the result of the IDF’s impressive operations.
“The campaign is not over yet—we must remain alert and attentive to the instructions published by the IDF and Homefront Command. We must be prepared for every scenario. Having said this, we have thwarted the most significant wave [of the attack], and we did so successfully,” added the defense minister.
Earlier, Gallant spoke with his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin about the Iranian attack, thanking him for standing with Israel and emphasizing that the defense establishment was prepared for any further attacks on the Jewish state.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with U.S. President Joe Biden following deliberations by the Security Cabinet and War Cabinet overnight Saturday.
Biden reportedly told Netanyahu that Israel should see its defense against Iran’s attack as a “win” and that Washington wouldn’t participate in an attack on Iran.
A government meeting scheduled for Sunday was nixed as Israel coordinates how it will respond to the attack from Tehran and its terror proxies.
Israeli political leaders expressed their viewpoints on the attack, with President Isaac Herzog praising Israel resilience on display during the attack.
“Bless you dear soldiers and commanders of the IDF and IAF. Bless the coalition of nations led by the US and @POTUS. Bless my sisters and brothers, the people of Israel, for their exceptional show of resilience. Together, the forces of good will overcome the forces of evil. Am Yisrael Chai!” Herzog tweeted on Sunday morning.
Bless you dear soldiers and commanders of the IDF and IAF.
Bless the coalition of nations led by the US and @POTUS.
Bless my sisters and brothers, the people of Israel, for their exceptional show of resilience.
Together, the forces of good will overcome the forces of evil.
Am…
— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) April 14, 2024
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for a “crushing attack” on the regime in Tehran in a Sunday morning tweet.
“Impressive defense so far – now we need a crushing attack,” the minister wrote.
Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari hinted at a possible retaliatory attack in a statement on Sunday morning, saying that “we are preparing plans for the continuation, discussing alternatives and will do everything necessary to protect the citizens of the State of Israel. The IDF is fully qualified tonight and today and for the continuation of the missions ahead.”
While Israeli airspace reopened, Air France and KLM announced that they were canceling flights to and from Tel Aviv as the Iranian attack threw flight schedules into disarray, stranding passengers across the world.
Jordan also opened its airspace on Sunday morning after Amman assisted in thwarting the Iranian attack by shooting down drones and missiles over its territory. The United States and the United Kingdom also helped fend off the attack.
Meanwhile, foreign governments continued to express condemnation and concern about the Iranian assault, with Tokyo weighing, stating that “Japan is very concerned about this attack, which will further exacerbate the current situation in the Middle East, and strongly condemns this escalation.”
Doha, Hamas’s patron which has been mediating hostage release discussions, said that “Qatar expresses its concern about the developments in the region and calls on all parties to stop the escalation and exercise restraint.” The ministry added that “we call on the international community to take urgent action to relieve tension and reduce escalation. We renew Qatar’s commitment to assist all regional and international efforts aimed at achieving regional and international security and stability.”
Iran fired more than 300 missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles from its territory towards Israel on Saturday night, in a major response to the April 1 killing of several IRGC officers in Syria.
Rocket warning sirens blared across northern and southern Israel, as well as in Jerusalem and towns in Samaria.
Hagari said that Israel intercepted 99% of the threats, calling it a “significant strategic achievement” and noting that none of the 170 drones that Iran launched penetrated Israeli territory. They were shot down by fighter jets, the air defense array and defense systems of allied countries.
Additionally, Hagari noted that some missiles penetrated the Nevatim Airbase in the Negev desert, causing minor damage. The base continues to function.
