Iran launched hundreds of explosive drones and missiles last Saturday in its first direct attack on Israeli territory. The U.S. assisted Israel in taking down the incoming missiles and drones using previously mobilized “aircraft and ballistic missile defense destroyers,” U.S President Biden said in a recent press release.
The Israeli Defense Force reported “very little damage” sustained from the attack, with the only casualty being a single Israeli individual who sustained critical injuries due to shrapnel from an intercepted missile.
The attack is speculated to be in retaliation for the April 1st Israeli bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria. During which, 16 people were killed, two of whom being high-ranking Iranian generals.
Despite of the U.S.’s “ironclad commitment” to the security of Israel, U.S. officials have gone on to denounce the U.S.’s potential involvement in a retaliatory attack on Iran, “We believe Israel has freedom of action to protect itself and defend itself, in Syria or elsewhere. That’s a long-standing policy and that remains, but no we would not envision ourselves participating in such a thing,” one senior U.S. administration official said.
Regardless of lacking any foreign or diplomatic support, and calls for restraint by the U.S, UN, and several other world leaders, Israel has vowed a response against Iran. One Israeli Military Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, stated that the Iranian attack “will be met with a response,” but provided no further details.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has gone on to say that Iran would “completely destroy” Israel, should they even go forward with the “tiniest invasion” of their country.
