An old war wound has been opened and the flies are in a mood.
Iran initiated a substantial assault, employing over 300 drones and missiles aimed at Israel over the weekend—marking Iran’s inaugural direct strike on its regional adversary from Iranian soil.
Israel, along with its allies, including the United States, intercepted the majority of the weapons. Nevertheless, a handful of Iranian ballistic missiles breached the defenses, resulting in severe injuries to a 7-year-old girl and minor damage to a military base in southern Israel, as per Israeli officials. This attack is as complicated as it comes.
The Iran Reprisal
The attack comprised 170 drones and 30 cruise missiles, none of which breached Israeli territory, and approximately 110 ballistic missiles, with only a fraction reaching Israel, stated military spokesman Rear Adm Daniel Hagari in a televised address. The accuracy of these figures has not been independently verified by the BBC.
The shortest distance between Iran and Israel spans about 1,000km (620 miles) across Iraq, Syria, and Jordan.
Rear Admiral Hagari emphasized that 99% of the incoming barrage was intercepted either outside Israeli airspace or within the country itself. This included all drones and cruise missiles, which follow a flat trajectory, and the majority of ballistic missiles, fired on an arcing trajectory utilizing gravity to achieve high speeds.
Given the projectiles’ relatively distant origins, Israel deployed F-35 stealth fighters for interception. The IDF reported that 25 out of the 30 cruise missiles launched by Iran were neutralized before entering Israeli airspace.
Allies Mount Their Angles
US President, Joe Biden affirmed that US forces aided Israel in neutralizing the majority of drones and missiles launched by Iran. Preceding the unprecedented attack, the US had relocated aircraft and warships to the region.
Two aircraft and two destroyers were involved in intercepting the onslaught, utilizing the Aegis missile defense system to down at least three ballistic missiles, according to CNN.
US Central Command (Centcom) disclosed that its forces had eliminated over 80 drones and at least six ballistic missiles, including one on its launcher vehicle and seven drones destroyed on the ground in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen prior to launch.
A Call For Restraint
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, urged restraint, echoing the sentiments of other world leaders.
President Biden cautioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against initiating further strikes on Iran, asserting that the US would abstain from offensive actions against Iran but expressing private concerns about being drawn into a broader conflict.
With Iran fulfilling its promise to attack Israel, officials and analysts speculate that Iran seeks to avert an escalated conflict, evident in its targeting of solely military sites and advance notice of the attack.
Iran asserted that its retaliatory attack against Israel displayed restraint, signaling a reluctance to escalate tensions in the region. Tehran warned Israel against further military retaliation, suggesting that the matter should be considered resolved but hinting at a harsher response if provoked again.
Meanwhile, Israel’s military declared the formation of a coalition with the United States, Britain, France, and other allies in response to Iran’s unprecedented attack, marking the first instance of such cooperation against the Iranian threat and its proxies in the Middle East, according to IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari.
Isreal May Draw Second Blood
Israeli leaders have reportedly reached the conclusion that in order to effectively deter Iran, they must retaliate against the country’s massive missile barrage. During a visit to the lightly damaged Nevatim air base following the Iranian attack, the Israeli military’s chief of staff, Herzi Halevi, stated that the launch of numerous missiles and drones would not go unanswered.
However, the challenge facing the war cabinet lies in delivering a robust response without exacerbating a regional crisis.
It’s uncertain whether the world would anticipate the outcome or prefer to distance itself from the horror. Is this latest conflict brewing a recipe for the worst-case scenario?
