Iran launches attack on Israel
LIVE/UPDATED

WORLD  15 April 2024 - 09:53

On April 13, Iran launched an attack on Israel. The news is being updated

09:30 (April 15)

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has announced that the Iranian April 13 missile-drone attack on Israel was very likely intended to cause significant damage below the threshold that would trigger a massive Israeli response.

The attack was designed to succeed, not to fail, Caliber.Az reports citing the ISW.

The strike package was modeled on those the Russians have used repeatedly against Ukraine to great effect. The attack caused more limited damage than intended likely because the Iranians underestimated the tremendous advantages Israel has in defending against such strikes compared with Ukraine. The Iranians will learn lessons from this strike and work to improve their abilities to penetrate Israeli defenses over time as the Russians have done in repeated strike series against Ukraine.

09:05 (April 15)

At least nine Iranian missiles that breached Israel's air defences struck two of Israel's air bases, but no significant damage was reported.

Five ballistic missiles hit the Nevatim Air Base, damaging a C-130 transport aircraft, an unused runway and empty storage facilities, a US official said, according to Haaretz.

Four additional ballistic missiles hit the Negev Air Base, but there were no reports of significant damage.

08:41 (April 15)

US President Joe Biden deliberately kept a low public profile following Iran’s attacks against Israel over the weekend, hoping that his absence from the spotlight would help deescalate the situation.

White House aides on April 14 discussed the idea of Biden delivering a national address after Israel, in conjunction with US forces, shot down the vast majority of the 300 drone and missile launches from Iran forces seeking to avenge the killing of senior paramilitary leaders, according to Politico.

But while scheduling was fluid, there were no immediate plans for Biden to address an American audience on the conflict in the Middle East, according to six officials, granted anonymity to discuss sensitive internal planning. Advisers assessed that a major presidential event, such as a televised address, would likely escalate the tensions and may provoke Tehran, two of the officials said.

“Putting the president behind the Resolute Desk turns up the temperature,” said one of those officials. “That’s something to ideally avoid.”

 08:33 (April 15)

Iran's foreign ministry has said the attack was in retaliation to a deadly Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, earlier this month, according to CNN.

06:30 (April 15)

The United States has destroyed dozens of drones and at least six ballistic missiles aimed at Israel from Iran and Yemen.

US forces hit more than 80 one-way attack drones, including seven UAVs targeted on the ground prior to launch, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on April 15, according to Al Jazeera.

“Iran’s continued unprecedented, malign, and reckless behaviour endangers regional stability and the safety of US and coalition forces,” CENTCOM said in a post on X.

“CENTCOM remains postured to support Israel’s defence against these dangerous actions by Iran. We will continue to work with all our regional partners to increase regional security.”

CENTCOM made the announcement after Iran late on April 13 launched its first-ever attack on Israeli territory in retaliation for a suspected Israeli attack on its embassy in Syria.

The attack involving more than 300 drones and missiles caused only modest damage as most were shot down by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system or the US and its partners.

05:30 (April 15)

Israel may soon retaliate Iran's attack on Israeli military facilities.

The Wall Street Journal did not specify the exact day when Israel will respond to the attack. The newspaper's sources note that the US will not take part in such an Israeli offensive operation. Washington insists that Jerusalem will not do anything that could lead to further escalation, according to TASS.

The New York Times, in turn, recalled that officials have not made any statements since Israel's military cabinet met on April 14. However, an official familiar with the discussions confirmed that Israel would certainly retaliate the Iranian attack. As the newspaper reported earlier, citing sources, Israel's response will be coordinated with allies. The New York Times did not specify with whom exactly.

01:30 (April 15)

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz spoke with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné.

“I thanked them for their assistance in the thwarting Iranian attack on Israel last night, for their steadfast support, and true friendship in times of need. However, I emphasized that Israel, like any other country, is committed to defend its citizens. I told them - it's your time to weaken the Iranian regime, to proscribe the IRGC as a terrorist organization, and to impose crippling sanctions on the Iranian missile project. Iran must pay a price,” according to Katz’s message on X.

22:56

Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari said that Israel's defensive coalition successfully thwarted the attack from Iran overnight.

Approximately 350 rockets were fired from Iran, Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon's Hezbollah, which carried about 60 tonnes of explosives, he said, according to CNN.

Hagari said it wasn't just Israel that was threatened but the entire Middle East, pointing out that Iranian forces also seized a Portuguese-flagged ship.  

20:19

Israel's President Isaac Herzog has said that Iran's attack on Israel was a "declaration of war".

It was "about time the world faces this empire of evil in Tehran", Herzog told Sky News.

World leaders need to "make it clear" to the Iranian regime that its behaviour is "unacceptable", Mr Herzog added.

"We should be looking lucidly at the phenomena called Tehran and Iran."

Israel has not sought war since its creation in 1948, the president insisted.

"We are peace seekers. We went to peace with our neighbours time and time again. Unfortunately, it all started on October 7 when a proxy of Iran, Hamas, led an unbelievably brutal massacre against Israeli citizens and the rest is history. We know it. So we should put it in perspective."

18:52

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has said that Israel has an opportunity to form a strategic alliance against Iran after its mass drone and missile attack was jointly repelled.

The attack was repelled together with the United States and other countries, Gallant said in a statement, according to Reuters.

"We have an opportunity to establish a strategic alliance against this grave threat by Iran which is threatening to mount nuclear explosives on these missiles, which could be an extremely grave threat."

17:59

US President Joe Biden warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US will not take part in a counter-offensive against Iran, an option Netanyahu's war cabinet favors after a mass drone and missile attack on Israeli territory.

The threat of open warfare erupting between the arch Middle East foes and dragging in the United States put the region on edge, triggering calls for restraint from global powers and Arab nations, according to Reuters.

17:09

American military bases in the Middle East will become targets for the Iranian army if the United States enters the conflict on the side of Israel and attacks against Iran.

This was stated by the commander of the army of the Islamic Republic, Major General Abdulrahim Mousavi.

“We also warn American leaders that if they want to intervene [in the conflict] on the side of the Zionist regime (meaning Israel - TASS note), all their interests and military bases, especially those from which attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran will be launched , will be considered our operational targets,” the Iranian Tashim agency quoted him as saying.

The army commander added that “international organizations should have punished the Zionist regime under Article 7 of the UN Charter” after the shelling of the Iranian consulate in Syria on April 1, but since they did not do this and allowed “negligence and negligence” on this issue, Tehran carried out “ retaliation operation" in response to "the universal demand of the Iranian people."

17:03

The Iranian armed forces used at least seven hypersonic missiles during an attack on the Israeli Nevatim air base.

This was reported by the state television channel Press TV.

16:24

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said in a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan that Tehran is not planning new operations against Israel unless Iran has to respond to new aggression.

This was reported by a diplomatic source in Ankara.

“The Iranian Foreign Minister said that the operation against Israel has ended and that Iran will not start a new one unless it is attacked. Abdollahian said that if Iran is attacked again, he will give an even stronger response,” the source said.

15:46

Israel intends to respond to Iran's attack, the scale of the response is being determined.

CNN reported this with reference to an Israeli official.

All response options will be discussed in detail on Sunday at a meeting of the Israeli military cabinet, the official noted.

15:42

Iran did not strike economic or civilian targets during the April 13 operation against Israel.

This was stated by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian.

“Iran's military operation against Israel yesterday was limited. We did not attack economic or civilian targets,” the Qatari TV channel Al Jazeera quoted the head of the foreign ministry as saying.

15:06

Iran does not intend to continue defensive operations, but if necessary, it will not hesitate to defend its legitimate interests from any new aggression.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian wrote about this on X (formerly Twitter).

“At the moment, the Islamic Republic of Iran does not intend to continue defensive operations, but if necessary, it will not hesitate to protect its legitimate interests from any new aggression,” he said.

13:52

Israeli Ambassador to the Russian Federation Simone Halperin said that the information about the death of a child due to an Iranian attack has not been confirmed.

Initial information about the death of a seven-year-old child as a result of an Iranian attack on Israeli territory turned out to be incorrect; he is in serious condition. This was announced by the Ambassador of Israel to the Russian Federation Simona Halperin.

“We have clarified the information. The child did not die; he is currently in serious condition,” the diplomat said.

12:50

A seven-year-old child died from injuries received as a result of an Iranian attack on Israeli territory.

This was announced by the Ambassador of Israel to the Russian Federation Simona Halperin.

“A seven-year-old child was injured, who, unfortunately, died from his injuries,” the diplomat informed.

11:24

Israel has successfully repelled the bulk of the Iranian attack, but the campaign is not over yet, Israelis should remain extra vigilant.

This was stated by the Jewish State's Defense Minister Yoav Galant following an operational meeting with the military leadership.

"Together with the United States and other partners, we were able to protect the territory of the State of Israel. Very little damage was done - this is the result of the impressive actions of the Israel Defense Forces. The campaign is not over - we must remain vigilant and carefully follow the instructions of the IDF and the Home Front Command. We must be prepared for any scenario. At the same time, we prevented the most significant wave [of attacks] and we did it successfully," the minister said, as quoted by the Defense Ministry's press service.

Gallant also expressed the view that the night attack showed the true face of both Iran and the US-led international coalition that repelled the strike. "This night, the whole world saw the true face of Iran, a terrorist state that attacked the State of Israel from a distance of 1,500 kilometers and tried to engage all its satellites in doing so. On the other hand, the world also saw the strength of the coalition and how Israel, together with the United States and other partners, stood together and repelled this attack in an unprecedented way," he asserted.

08:57

US forces have intercepted more than 70 UAVs and at least three ballistic missiles fired by Iran in the direction of Israel, CNN reports, citing US officials.

One of them said the ballistic missiles were intercepted by warships in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. U.S. fighter jets also took part in the interception and shot down the drones, another U.S. official indicated.

Iran has launched a total of more than 100 ballistic missiles at Israel, according to a senior US administration official.

Earlier, US President Joe Biden said in a written statement that Israel, with the help of US forces, was able to shoot down almost all the drones and missiles that Iran and its supporters used in attacking the Jewish state.

04:33

Israel is preparing for days of confrontation with Iran - Kan Radio.

04:30

US forces intercepted more than 70 one-way attack drones and at least three ballistic missiles during Iran's attack on Israel.

The ballistic missiles were intercepted by warships in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, one of the officials said, according to CNN.

Iran launched more than 100 ballistic missiles in total at Israel, according to a senior administration official.

The US Navy currently has two destroyers in that area, both are guided missile destroyers capable of intercepting missile and drone launches.

US fighter jets were also part of the response to Iran’s attack on April 13 and shot down drones launched towards Israel, another US official told CNN.

The vast majority of missiles were intercepted outside Israel's territory by aerial defense systems. There have been no reports of injuries suffered directly through Iranian strikes, according to Israel’s emergency service.

04:24

Iran's retaliatory drone and missile attacks on Israel early on April 14 dealt "heavy blows" to an air base in the Negev desert.

"The most important Israeli air base in the Negev was the successful target of the Kheibar missile," CGTN reports citing IRNA news agency, adding that "images and data indicate that the base sustained heavy blows."

03:14

In response to increased Iranian threats and the growing risk of escalation in the Middle East, the UK Government has been working with partners across the region to encourage de-escalation and prevent further attacks.

The UK has moved several additional Royal Air Force jets and air refuelling tankers to the region, according to the message posted on the website of the UK’s government.

These will bolster Operation Shader, which is the UK’s existing counter-Daesh operation in Iraq and Syria. In addition, these UK jets will intercept any airborne attacks within range of our existing missions, as required.

03:03

Jordan's air force intercepted and shot down dozens of Iranian drones that violated its airspace and were heading to Israel, two regional security sources said, Reuters reports.

They said the army was also in a state of high alert and radar systems were monitoring any drone activity coming from the direction of Iraq and Syria.

Residents in several cities in the northern part of the country near Syria and central and southern areas heard heavy aerial activity.

02:57

There were explosions visible in the air over Jerusalem as air sirens rang throughout Israel, according to NBC News.

02:46

More than 100 Iranian drones have already been intercepted outside of Israeli airspace, out of hundreds fired at Israel.

The drones were downed by the United States and the United Kingdom, an Israeli defense official told Army Radio, according to The Times of Israel.

Earlier, the IDF said it had identified more than 100 drones heading toward Israel.

02:32

Iran’s diplomats warned the US “must stay away” from the developing Iran-Israel “conflict” following Tehran’s drone and missiles attack on April 13. 

The post by the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations said the April 13 attack on Israel was a “legitimate defense” and a “response” to the alleged Israeli strike on April 1 in Damascus, Syria which struck near the Iranian embassy and killed two senior officers in Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to The Hill.

“Conducted on the strength of Article 51 of the UN Charter pertaining to legitimate defense, Iran’s military action was in response to the Zionist regime’s aggression against our diplomatic premises in Damascus,” the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations posted on April 13 on social media platform X. 

02:22

The European Union's foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell condemned Iran's strikes on Israel on April 13 as an "unprecedented escalation".

"The EU strongly condemns the unacceptable Iranian attack against Israel," he wrote on the platform X, according to Barron’s.

"This is an unprecedented escalation and a grave threat to regional security."

02:21

Iran has launched drone attacks against Israel after an Israeli strike killed two Iranian generals earlier this month.

Iran launched unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from within its territory toward the country, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) told Newsweek on April 13.

 02:14

Gulf monarchies are urging the US not to use American military bases on their territories to strike in response to any potential Iranian attack on Israel, sources told Middle East Eye.

The US's Gulf allies are working overtime to shut down avenues that could link them to a US reprisal against Tehran or its proxies from bases inside their kingdoms, according to a senior US official who spoke with MEE on condition of anonymity. 

As tensions flare, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman and Kuwait have raised questions about the intricate details of basing agreements that permit tens of thousands of US troops to be stationed across the oil-rich peninsula.

01:55

US Former President Donald Trump said that Iran’s attack on Israel wouldn’t have happened if he were still in the White House.

“ISRAEL IS UNDER ATTACK,” Trump said on his platform, Truth Social, Live5 News reports.

He continued saying, “This should never have been allowed to happen. This would NEVER have happened if I were President!’

Trump’s post comes after Iran launched over 200 missiles and drones toward Israel on April 3 night.

01:46

Iran has launched drones at Israel.

The Israeli forces say that sirens will sound in any areas that are threatened by the drones, according to Al Jazeera.

 01:30

 Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wrote on the X social network that Israel will be punished.

"The malicious Zionist regime will be punished," he wrote on the X social network, TASS reports.

The statement came in response to a massive Iranian drone attack, launched in response to Israel’s deadly strike on the Israeli consulate in Damascus on April 1.

01:19

Syria put on high alert its Russian-made Pantsir ground-to-air defense systems around the capital Damascus and major bases in the event of an Israeli strike, army sources say.

They say they expect Israel to retaliate against army bases and installations where pro-Iranian militia are based after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said they launched dozens of drones and missiles against specific targets in Israel, The Times of Israel reports.

Egypt’s air defence is on alert amid fears of an Iranian drone attack aimed at Israel.

Egypt’s military General Command has formed a team to monitor the situation and make any necessary decisions regarding the country’s airspace, Egyptian military and security sources told Al Jazeera.

01:17

Iran launching drones toward Israel "is a severe and dangerous escalation," Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari said in an English video announcement.

Hagari said the IDF is "closely monitoring Iranian killer drones that are en route to Israel sent by Iran", according to NBC News.

"Our defensive and offensive capabilities are at the highest level of readiness ahead of this large-scale attack from Iran," Hagari continued. "Together with our partners, the Israel Defense Forces is operating at full-force to defend the state of Israel and the people of Israel."

He said, "This is a mission that we are determined and ready to fulfill."

01:12

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) confirmed that it has launched dozens of missiles and drones against Israel, Xinhua reports citing Iran's Fars news agency.

01:08

Air raid sirens and loud booms sounded across Israel on April 13 evening as Iran launched dozens of drones and missiles at Israel in a retaliatory attack.

Israel closed its airspace at midnight and fully activated its air defense systems ahead of the aerial assault. It took several hours for the drones to reach Israeli airspace, according to CBS News.

"The IDF Aerial Defense Array is on high alert, along with IAF fighter jets and Israeli Navy vessels that are on a defense mission in Israeli airspace," the IDF said in a statement earlier on April 13. "The IDF is monitoring all targets."  

01:06

Iran has launched hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel in its first direct attack on Israeli territory, in a retaliatory assault that wounded a seven-year-old girl and caused minor damage at an Israeli military facility.

The attack late on April 13 night set off air raid sirens in cities across Israel, including in Tel Aviv and West Jerusalem, and explosions were heard as Israeli air defences intercepted the projectiles, according to Al Jazeera.

Jordan's air force intercepted and shot down dozens of Iranian drones that violated its airspace and were heading to Israel.

They said the army was also in a state of high alert and radar systems were monitoring any drone activity coming from the direction of Iraq and Syria, Reuters reports citing two regional security sources.

Residents in several cities in the northern part of the country near Syria and central and southern areas heard heavy aerial activity.

Caliber.Az