IDF repels historic Iranian barrage, drafts two reserve brigades for new Gaza operations

• Published date: 14 April 2024
• Author: YONAH JEREMY BOB
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

The drones and missiles were shot down at a 99% rate. Drones and missiles were also launched from Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen. They included 170 drones, 120 ballistic missiles, and 30 missiles, containing over 60 tons of explosives

Three Jordanians were killed, a seven-year-old girl from a Bedouin village near Arad was seriously wounded, while a few dozen others were treated for anxiety. Minor damage was sustained to infrastructure at the IDF Nevatim base in southern Israel during the attack as well, IDF Spokesman Daniel Hagari said.

There were two rounds of rockets, around 40 in total, fired on Israel from Lebanon, with Israel responding with counterattacks in close to real-time.

None of the drones or cruise missiles entered Israeli airspace, while Hagari noted that only a small number of ballistic missiles managed to penetrate.

Almost all interceptions have been by dozens of aircraft, the long-range Arrow missile systems, or the medium-range David's Sling system. The Iron Dome, which defends well against Hamas and Hezbollah's short-range rockets, is less relevant for drones and fancier long-range missiles.

The attack came after Iran accused Israel of killing top Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Mohammad Reza Zahedi on April 1. Zahedi has directed proxy attacks on Israel in Lebanon and Syria and was a top coordinator with Hezbollah.

Despite injuring civilians, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said it conducted the attack against military bases in "self-defense."

The IDF said the wide number of sirens was mostly not from rockets that entered Israeli territory but from pieces of rockets shot down outside of Israel, where the remains of the rockets' landing spots were unpredictable.

Military sources hinted at an Israeli response of large proportions, including with the active backing of key allies, but did not give details about scope and timing. The IDF declined to publicly commit to any specific timeline for a counterstrike on Iran.

The US, UK, France, and Jordan helped shoot down Iranian projectiles, with the US shooting down over 70. Israeli aircraft started shooting down projectiles as of 12 a.m., but significant numbers of threats were shot down between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m.

Hezbollah said it fired dozens of Katyusha rockets from Lebanon towards the Golan Heights on Saturday night, setting off sirens in Snir.

On Sunday morning, about 30 rockets were fired again from Lebanon toward northern Israel. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for that...