Booms and sirens in Israel after Iran launches over 200 missiles and drones in unprecedented attack
Israel early Sunday after Iran launched hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles in an unprecedented revenge mission that pushed the Middle East closer to a regionwide war.
The attack marked the first time Iran has launched a direct military assault on Israel, despite decades of enmity dating back to the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution. Condemnation from the United Nations chief and others was swift, with France saying Iran «is risking a potential military escalation,» Britain calling the attack «reckless» and Germany saying Iran and its proxies «must stop it immediately.»
The Israeli military's spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said Iran fired scores of drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles — with the vast majority intercepted outside Israel's borders. He said warplanes intercepted over 10 cruise missiles alone, also outside Israeli airspace.
Hagari said a handful of missiles landed in Israel. Rescuers said one strike critically wounded a 10-year-old girl in a Bedouin Arab town in southern Israel. Hagari said a missile struck an army base, causing light damage but no injuries.
«A wide-scale attack by Iran is a major escalation,» he said. Asked whether Israel would respond, Hagari said only that the army «does and will do whatever is required to protect the security of the state of Israel.»
Iran launches unprecedented strikes on Israel, opening wider conflict
U.S. forces downed some of the Iran-launched drones flying toward Israel, according to a U.S. defense
