More than 300 projectiles fired, including 170 drones, 110 ballistic missiles and 30 cruise missiles. Iran carried out a massive and unprecedented attack on Israel during the night from Saturday to Sunday. “The Iranian attack was foiled […]. We have intercepted 99% of the fire towards Israel,” Israeli army spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a televised address. No drone or missile “has penetrated Israeli territory.” , while only a few ballistic missiles “entered and lightly hit the Nevatim base,” he continued. “Together with the United States and other partners, we managed to defend the territory of the state of Israel,” added Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Joe Biden said Saturday evening that US forces helped shoot down “almost all” of the drones and missiles fired by Iran at Israel. “At my direction, to support the defense of Israel, the US military has moved ballistic missile defense aircraft and destroyers to the region over the past week,” Joe Biden said in a statement. “Through these deployments and the extraordinary skills of our military, we have helped Israel destroy nearly all incoming drones and missiles.”
The United States anti-aircraft defense intercepted several drones fired by Iran, the television channels CNN and ABC reported in particular, without specifying the number of machines shot down or over which territories these operations took place.
London mobilizes combat and supply planes
The United Kingdom has also provided aid to Israel. The British government said it was sending additional fighter jets to the Middle East and would intercept any air attacks “if necessary.” “We have sent several additional Royal Air Force aircraft and aerial refuelers to the region,” the Ministry of Defense said in a statement. “These British aircraft will intercept any air attack within range of our existing missions, if necessary,” he added, in a statement from the Ministry of Defense. The United Kingdom “will continue to cooperate closely with our regional partners in the interest of de-escalation,” the press release also specifies.
As reported The Guardian, the Royal Air Force fighter and refueling aircraft involved took off from bases in Cyprus. Their role, according to a statement from the Department of Defense, was to replace the US Air Force in sorties against ISIS normally carried out over Iraq and northeast Syria, but also to intercept Iranian drones.
Help from Paris to eliminate Iranian drones
Daniel Hagari also indicated this Sunday that France was one of the countries involved in the defense of Israel in the face of the Iranian attack. “France has very good technology, planes, radars – and I know they have helped patrol the airspace,” the Israeli army spokesperson said, without giving details. precise regarding the possible participation of French planes to shoot down missiles launched by Iran, reports the Reuters agency. According to BFMTV, France has eliminated a certain number of Iranian drones or missiles. These projectiles flew over Jordan and Iraq, two states where France has military influence. “This interception of Iranian drones took place to ensure the defense of Israel,” an official French source told BFMTV.
Furthermore, Jordan, Israel’s neighboring country, intercepted “flying devices” that entered its airspace during the attack last night, the government said this Sunday morning. The press release specifies that the armed forces had “intercepted and neutralized devices which entered our airspace last night”, and that debris fell “in several places” without causing any injuries. According to Reuters, which cited two regional security sources, Jordanian planes shot down dozens of Iranian drones flying over northern and central Jordan towards Israel. These drones were shot down over the east bank of the Jordan River and were heading towards Jerusalem, while others were intercepted near the Iraqi-Syrian border.
Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon announced this Sunday morning the reopening of their airspace, closed since Saturday evening due to the unprecedented attack. These three countries announced during the night from Saturday to Sunday the closure of the airspace as well as the interruption of traffic.