US and Israel verify that an aerial assault on Israeli territory is ongoing as Jordan and Iraq shut their airspace.
Iran has commenced numerous drones and missiles towards Israel, according to the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The IRGC mentioned on Saturday it has deployed the drones and missiles under the operation “True Promise”, stating that the move is part of retribution for the “Israeli crimes”.
Syria placed its Russian-made Pantsir ground-to-air defence systems around the capital Damascus and major bases on high alert in case of an Israeli strike, army sources told the Reuters news agency.
Meanwhile, Iraq, Jordan, and Israel announced the closure of their airspace.
This development occurs almost two weeks following an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria that led to the deaths of seven IRGC members.
“Iran launched UAVs from its territory towards the territory of the state of Israel,” Israel’s army’s spokesman, Daniel Hagari, said late on Saturday.
“We are on high alert and readiness,” he added, speaking in a televised address, stating that the drones would require several hours to reach Israel’s airspace.
Israel has been on heightened alert since its strike on Damascus on April 1, despite not commenting on the attack. Iran pledged revenge, and a retaliatory attack was anticipated.
President Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Saturday that Israel was prepared for a “direct attack from Iran”.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stated Israel was “closely monitoring a planned attack” against it by Iran and its regional allies.
Washington reported that Iran has initiated an airborne assault against Israel that is likely to unfold over several hours.
National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson stated in a statement that President Joe Biden is regularly briefed by his national security team and is in constant communication with Israeli officials, US partners, and allies.
“We know that planes are patrolling in the skies above [Israel], we know that Benjamin Netanyahu is meeting with his war cabinets, his security cabinets this evening,” said Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands, reporting from occupied East Jerusalem.
“We understand that they are considering shutting down the Ben Gurion international airport in Tel Aviv for the whole country. So this is a country… waiting for those drones arrive.”
Challands mentioned that although Haggari did not confirm the drones’ estimated arrival time, “it will have to go through several countries’ airspace … They could take about nine hours to arrive.”
