Iran launched a wave of missiles and drones against Israel

Iran on Saturday launched a wave of missiles and drones against Israel in response to the recent attack on its consulate in Syriaattributed to Israel, which have mostly been intercepted over Syrian, Jordanian and Israeli territory, in a new escalation that has set off alarm bells and sparked fears that the situation will get out of hand.

The Revolutionary Guard confirmed that this offensive, Iran’s first direct attack on Israeli territory, was retaliation for the bombing of the consulate in Damascus on April 1in which seven members of the Revolutionary Guard died.

The Government of Iran invoked, through its mission to the UN, Article 51 of the United Nations Charter to justify its attack on Israel, which it considers “legitimate defense.”

Israel, for its part, has asked UN Secretary-General António Guterres to explicitly condemn Iran for its attack on its territory today.

Iran’s Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani warned Sunday that any country that allows its airspace or territory to be used to carry out attacks on Iranian soil will receive a “forceful” response.

“More than 200 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles”

For its part, The Israeli Army reported early Sunday morning that Iran has already launched “more than 200” drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Israel.; in an attack that continues in retaliation for the bombing of the Persian consulate in Damascus.

According to military spokesman Daniel Hagari, A military base suffered minor damage in the south of the countryin the Negev region, after being hit by “Iranian missiles”, and so far, only a 10-year-old Bedouin girl has been seriously injured in the head by shrapnel.

There are no deaths from the attacksand according to the spokesman, most of the interceptions have taken place outside Israel’s borders, thanks to the help of “Israeli (anti-aircraft) systems” and those of its partners such as the US and the UK.

“The Iranian attack is still ongoing. Our planes are in the air. Iran’s large-scale attacks tonight constitute a major escalation,” Hagari said.

Israel bombs eastern Lebanon

After the attack, Israeli air force bombed the Bekaa Valley on Sundaya stronghold of the Shiite group Hezbollah in eastern Lebanon far from the common border, amid growing regional tension.

He Bombing by “enemy fighters” targeted the village of Nabi Chit in Baalbek district, an area that had already been attacked several times during the past two months of clashes, reported the Hezbollah-owned online newspaper Al Ahed News.

According to the National News Agency (ANN), The shells hit a building in the townwhich was destroyed by the impact, while security forces have cordoned off the area with no reports of casualties yet.

International condemnations and concern

United Kingdom, the European Union, the United States, France and Italy They condemned the Iranian attack and expressed concern about the new escalation of violence in the region.

The The European Union (EU) strongly condemned the unacceptable attack and the High Representative for Foreign Policy of the EU and Vice-President of the European Commission, the Spaniard Josep Borrell, assured in X that “this is an unprecedented escalation and a serious threat to regional security.”

The American president, Joe Bidenmet with his National Security Council in the White House Situation Room to monitor the situation and is supporting Israel in repelling the attack.

Following the meeting, Biden stressed that the United States’ commitment to Israel in the face of Iran is “ironclad.”

He The British government “strongly” condemned the attack. and authorized the deployment of additional US Air Force aircraft and refueling tankers to the Middle East in response to the escalation in the region, British Defense Minister Grant Shapps confirmed on Sunday.

In a message on his X account, the Defense Minister points out that “in addition, the jets (which will be deployed in Iraq and Syria, where the United Kingdom is already developing an operation against ‘Daesh’) will intercept any air attack within the range of our existing mission, as required.”

France, for its part, also condemned in “the strongest terms” Israeli aggression and French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné noted on his X account that with this “unprecedented action,” Tehran has taken “a new step in its destabilizing actions and risks a military escalation.”

*With information from EFE*