Iranian Officials Declare Israel Attack ‘Success’

Although the massive strike launched mostly from inside Iranian territory caused little damage, the risk of an Israeli response escalating into a full-blown war looms large.

The attack was anticipated given Iran's vow to retaliate against Israel's targeting of Iran’s consulate in Damascus on April 1. Intelligence assessments had predicted an imminent and significant strike.

The initial wave of the attack struck Israel around 2 am local time, resulting in explosions in the sky as Israeli defense systems intercepted drones and missiles. Some missiles managed to evade interception, hitting an airbase in southern Israel and causing minor damage, according to Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari.

Of 170 UAVs 0 entered into Israeli territory / Of 30 Iranian cruise missiles, 0 entered Israeli air space, 25 downed by Israel. Most of 120 ballistic missiles were intercepted by the arrow defense system, causing minor damage to infrastructure at Nevatim Air Force base by direct hit but still operational.

Iran’s state-affiliated media celebrated the operation as a huge success, and the foreign ministry called it “an inherent right of self-defense as recognized under Article 51 of the UN Charter, against Israel's recurring military aggressions.”

However, the attack drew condemnation from UN Secretary-General and several governments, including those of Canada, Germany, France, UK, and the US. President Biden lauded Israel's defense capability, reaffirming the US commitment to its security.

“Israel demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks – sending a clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten the security of Israel,” US President Joe Biden said shortly after the operation was over. He stated once more that his government’s commitment to Israel was “ironclad”.

It’s unclear how Israel would respond to the attack. Unnamed Israeli sources told Iran International that it certainly will. The Israeli War Cabinet did convene during the attacks and authorized Benjamin Netanyahu and two of his ministers to decide on the response –which, according to Israel’s Channel 14, would target “Iranian territory.”

What is also not clear is the timing of the Israeli response. Netanyahu would most likely discuss his options with Biden, who fears the tit-for-tat to lead to an all-out regional war and bog down the US military in yet another conflict in the Middle East less than six months before the 2024 US elections.

The Biden administration seems to want to downplay the significance of Iran’s attack in a bid to restrain Netanyahu.

CNN quoted a senior administration official who said President Biden has told Netanyahu that “Israel should consider tonight a win” because Iran’s attacks had been “largely unsuccessful” and nothing of “value” was hit. CNN also reported that Biden had made it clear to Netanyahu that the United States “will not participate in any offensive operation against Iran.”

Biden’s stance is bound to anger his more hawkish critics, who accuse him of abandoning Israel and even appeasing Iran. He will feel the heat in Washington, and in the Capitol, in particular, in the days to come, as ardent supporters of Israel push for a tougher stance on Iran.

“This is the moment for the US to show we stand together with our allies,” Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), Ranking Member of the Armed Service Committee posted on X. “Our shared enemies, including Iran & their proxies, need to know our commitment is unwavering. We must join with Israel to ensure that Iran’s aggression is met with resolute action & resounding strength.”

Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) was another lawmaker who called for US involvement in a military operation against Iran.

“Iran has begun launching drone strikes on Israel,” she posted on X shortly after news broke of Iranian drones heading for Israel. “We must move quickly and launch aggressive retaliatory strikes on Iran.”

Former President Donald Trump was also quick to weigh in on the subject, albeit from a more personal angle.

“Israel is under attack! This should never have been allowed to happen,” he posted on his digital platform Truth Social. “This would never have happened if I was President,” he said, in a comparatively subtle sneer at Biden –who, in all likelihood, will face him in the battle for the White House this November.

Follow developments on Iran International's Live coverage of ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel.

In an article published in Etemad daily on Friday, Ali Rabiei listed multiple crises and problems the Iranian government is currently facing. He emphasized that without addressing these issues, it would be unwise for Tehran to engage in a potential direct conflict with Israel, which would only exacerbate the situation.

Rabiei stressed the need for wise governance and effective crisis management. "We must first mitigate the impacts of existing crises to prevent the collapse of the system," he emphasized.

He pointed to economic crises including inflation hovering around 50%, declining social cohesion, and the prevailing psychological instability within society as some of the pressing crises confronting the country and its political leadership. Given these circumstances, Rabiei advocated for the adoption of "conciliatory policies" to reduce tensions and foster unity and empathy within society.

Multiple nationwide anti-regime protests have shaken the clerical-military rulers of the Islamic Republic since 2018. Security forces have killed thousands of protesters and jailed tens of thousands of others to quell the largest unrests in November 2019 and in 2022-23. In the parliamentary elections on March 1, a sizeable majority of voters stayed home, further damaging the legitimacy of the ruling apparatus.

Although Rabiei did not explicitly mention the government’s compulsory hijab policy in his article, his statements could be interpreted as implicit criticism of the controversial hijab enforcement campaign initiated by law enforcement agencies, which came into effect on Saturday.

Earlier in the day, Iranian media reported the arrest of the wife and daughter of Ahmadreza Abedzadeh, a prominent figure in Iranian football history, in Tehran for refusing to comply with hijab regulations. Many women have forsaken the hijab, a phenomenon deeply unsettling for the ruling clerics, who see women’s defiance as a direct challenge to their ideological hold over the society.

The regime's repressive domestic policies and mounting pressures, particularly on women, have fueled widespread dissatisfaction and delegitimized the government. Similarly, Tehran's foreign policy towards Israel, and its controversial nuclear program, have isolated the country and badly damaged its oil-dependent economy.

In recent days, Iranian officials have escalated their anti-Israel rhetoric and vowed revenge for Israel’s April 1 strike that killed seven IRGC forces in Damascus. On Saturday, IRGC naval forces seized a Portuguese-flagged cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz, alleging it belonged to an Israeli billionaire.

However, the Iranian market does not seem to view the IRGC’s actions as a success, as evidenced by the record fall in the value of the national currency, the rial. On Saturday, the US dollar rose to the unprecedented level of 660,000 rials in Iran’s free market.

Meanwhile, the relatively independent news website Khabaronline reported a significant increase in criticism against President Ebrahim Raisi, with many of his supporters calling for a cabinet reshuffle to address the demands of the people. According to the website, economic fluctuations have severely impacted the prices of essential goods and people's livelihoods, necessitating urgent action to reverse the trend.

Eqtesad 24 news website reported in February that nearly one in every three Iranians currently lives below the poverty line due to soaring inflation over the past five years.

Follow developments on Iran International's Live coverage of ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel.

However, the Israeli officials did not specify the nature of the response or its timing.

Israel's military said it was sounding sirens in locations throughout the country early on Sunday, as Iran International’s live broadcast from Israel showed multiple interceptions of incoming projectiles.

Although it was not clear if drones or missiles were being destroyed by multiple Israeli air defense systems, our correspondent believed some anti-missile defenses were also operating at around 2:00 am local time.

Israel's Magen David Adom ambulance service said early on Sunday that it had received no word of any casualties from Iranian drones launched at the country, many of which local media described as having been intercepted.

Jordanian jets downed dozens of Iranian drones flying across northern and central Jordan heading to Israel, two regional security sources told Reuters.

The sources said the drones were brought down in the air on the Jordanian side of the Jordan Valley and were heading in the direction of Jerusalem. Others were intercepted close to the Iraqi-Syrian border. They gave no further details.

Israel plans a "significant response" to the unprecedented Iranian drone salvo against it, top-rated Channel 12 TV quoted an unnamed senior Israeli official as saying early on Sunday.

An Israeli defense official told Army Radio that more than 100 Iranian drones have already been intercepted outside of Israeli airspace, out of hundreds fired at Israel.

The report said the drones were downed by the United States and the United Kingdom. Earlier, the IDF said it had identified more than 100 drones heading toward Israel.

Follow developments on Iran International's Live coverage of ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel.

He said the Israeli Air Force is tracking the drones, while noting that they will take several hours to reach the country.

Hagari warned that there will be GPS disruptions as the military works to intercept the drones.

State-linked media in Iran is reporting that a second wave of drones has been launched by the Islamic Republic at Israel.

Sirens will only sound if the drones enter Israeli airspace, at the relevant locations, Hagari said, adding that the IDF will work to intercept the targets as early as possible.

Israel's Channel 12 says the US was the first to identify the launch of drones and immediately notified Israel.

Israel's official Persian X account quoted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as saying, "In recent years, especially in recent weeks, Israel has been preparing for the possibility of a direct attack by Iran. Our defense systems are ready, we are prepared for any scenario, both defensively and offensively. Israel is strong, the Israeli army is strong, and the people of Israel are strong." There is no immediate statement from the IDF on news about the reported attack.

Al Arabiya quoted an unnamed US official as saying that the drones were launched from Iranian territory.

Earlier on Saturday, in an English-language video statement Daniel Hagari, the chief spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), said, "Iran funds, trains, and arms terror proxies across the Middle East and beyond…Iran will bear the consequences for choosing to escalate the situation any further.” He added that Israel is on high alert, increasing readiness to defend against Iranian aggression and prepared to respond.

The statement by Hagari comes shortly after the IRGC seized an Israeli-linked container ship near Strait of Hormuz today, and reports having surfaced yesterday, notably on ABC News, citing US officials stating that Iran has readied more than 100 cruise missiles for an imminent attack on Israel. Meanwhile, American officials, speaking to CNN, warned of a potential Iranian attack from within its territory with possible involvement of regional proxies in retaliatory strikes, targeting locations in Israel.

International efforts, including those from the United States and supported by European and UK allies, have been focused on de-escalating the situation and maintaining stability in the region.

Earlier today, UK foreign secretary David Cameron announced that he spoke to the Israeli minister and war cabinet member Benny Gantz and discussed “our shared concerns about Iranian threats to attack Israel” with Gantz. “Further escalation in the region is in no one’s interest and risks further loss of civilian life,” he added.

Furthermore, the UK Royal Marines stand ready to coordinate a significant evacuation of British citizens from the Middle East in case of an attack on Israel.

In response to the escalating tensions, yesterday, US President Joe Biden reiterated the his commitment to Israel's security while warning of a confirmed retaliatory attack by Iran “sooner than later.". Meanwhile, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken engaged in discussions with his Jordanian counterpart to address the need to prevent further escalation by Iran. The Pentagon reiterated the US commitment to Israel's security against Iranian threats, echoing President Biden's support for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. The visit of top US general Michael "Erik" Kurilla to Israel was expedited to address current security concerns, while Republican Senator Joni Ernst commended Biden's support for Israel amid tensions with Iran.

Safaei further reports that according to Israel TV Channel 11, even Hamas is waiting to see Tehran's reaction to the killing of IRGC commanders in Damascus. Meanwhile, Iran International's correspondent in Lebanon, May Farhat reports that Lebanon is also closely monitoring the situation and anticipating Iran's response with reports of increased Hezbollah activity along the Lebanon-Syria border, potentially preparing for military operations in line with Iran's retaliation. On the other hand, speaking to Iran International reporters, Fares Souaid, from the “National Council for the Ending Iranian Occupation" in Lebanon, stated that Iran won't escalate tensions further, attributing the situation to Israel's possible reaction suggesting that Iran prefers proxy conflicts over direct confrontation with Israel.

Several countries, including Germany, India, France, Poland, and Russia have responded by issuing travel warnings for citizens in Iran and suspending flights to the region. Germany has advised its citizens to leave Iran immediately.

Although no concrete evidence of an Iranian attack on Israel has been determined so far other than psychological warfare tactics, Israel's heightened alertness underscores the precarious situation in the region, with the specter of conflict looming amidst escalating tensions with Iran.