Unprecedented attack: Iran's drone onslaught targets Israel

Iran launched hundreds of rockets and drones toward Israel. Over 100 drones were intercepted outside the country’s airspace by the air forces of Israel, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Jordan, as announced by the spokesperson for the Israeli Ministry of Defense.

The involvement of British Royal Air Force planes in shooting down Iranian drones was confirmed by the British Sky News station.

That the US forces shot down some Iranian drones flying toward Israel was reported by CNN and ABC. This information was confirmed to the stations by representatives of the US administration. However, the number or the method of shooting down the drones was not disclosed.

Until now, the Pentagon has refused to disclose which forces were sent to the region, but public data indicates that during the attack over Iraq, an aerial refuelling tanker, KC-135, was present, suggesting the presence of American fighters nearby.

Iran launched over 200 drones and ballistic missiles toward Israel on Saturday. The direct attack is unprecedented and may lead to a serious escalation of tensions after six months of conflict in the Gaza Strip.

The Iranian armed forces, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, described the attack as retaliation for the bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damascus, in which several Iranian officers were killed. Iran accused Israel of this action.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a war cabinet meeting. In a recorded statement, he declared to the citizens that Israel was ready for a direct attack from Iran and would respond in kind. "Whoever hurts us, we will hurt them," he said.

In Israel, school classes were cancelled, gatherings of more than a thousand people were prohibited, the airspace was closed, and all commercial flights were cancelled.