The Revolutionary Guards, an elite body of the Islamic Republic of Iran's army, announced that they launched an "extensive" attack, with "drones and missiles" against Israel, on Saturday night to Sunday, the country's state television reported. The Revolutionary Guards announced shortly after that any threat from the US and Israel would be met with a reciprocal response from Tehran, Iranian television reported hours after the Iranian attack on Israel.
"Any threat from the United States and the Zionist regime emanating from any country will result in a proportional and reciprocal response by Iran to the origin of the threat," the Revolutionary Guards warned in their statement.
The entire Middle East is "boiling" - Everything shows that the conflict may become generalized
"Israel vows to respond to unprecedented Iranian drone strike against it," Channel 12 reports, citing a senior Israeli official.
As the Israeli channel emphasizes, the senior Israeli official promises an "unprecedented response" to Iran's attack and urges Israelis not to go to sleep because of what will follow.
Israel is planning a "significant response" to the unprecedented Iranian attack, Israel's Channel 12 TV reported, citing an unnamed senior Israeli official. Iran's drone and missile attack on Israel constitutes a "serious and dangerous escalation," Israeli military spokesman Daniel Haggari said.
"Iran launched a direct attack against the State of Israel from Iranian territory. We are closely monitoring the killer drones sent from Iran and headed for Israel. This is a serious and dangerous escalation," the spokesman said in a statement.
Netanyahu: We will defeat all our enemies
Before the start of the Iranian operation, after all, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had already warned through a message addressed to the people of his country that there would be a response, whatever the retaliation from Iran for recent attacks by Tel Aviv against of Tehran.
"Citizens of Israel,
In recent years, and especially in recent weeks, Israel has been preparing for a direct attack from Iran.
Our defense systems have been developed. We are ready for any scenario, both defensively and offensively. The state of Israel is strong. The IDF is strong. The audience is powerful.
We appreciate the US standing by Israel, as well as the support of Britain, France and many other countries.
We have established a clear principle: Whoever hurts us, we will hurt him. We will defend ourselves against any threat and we will do so evenly and decisively.
Citizens of Israel I urge you to follow the instructions of the IDF Home Front Command.
Together we will stand and with the help of Gd – together we will defeat all our enemies”, he said characteristically.
American aircraft carrier in the Middle East
Meanwhile, the US has sent the aircraft carrier Bataan as well as two support ships with 2.500 marines to the Eastern Mediterranean and is putting military bases in Iraq on full alert as Iran attacks Israel.
The Bataan was one of several ships in the Middle East region at the start of the Iraq War in 2003 and has participated in several military operations.
Biden: Our support for Israel is unwavering
With a post on his X account, US President Joe Biden posted for the first time since Iran's attack on Israel began. In his post accompanied by a photo from the White House crisis management room, Joe Biden declares that US support for Israel is "unwavering".
“I just met with the national security team for a briefing on Iran's attack on Israel. Our commitment to Israel's security in the face of threats from Iran and its allies is unwavering."
Iran: We will respond to any attack
About an hour after the announcement of Iran's operation, dubbed "Honorable Promise," Iran's official news agency IRNA reported that a "first wave of ballistic missiles" had been launched, targeting targets "deep inside occupied territories" (p .s.: of Israel).
"The Air Force of the Aerospace Force of the Revolutionary Guard Corps launched dozens of missiles and drones against specific targets inside the occupied territories," Iranian state television said, citing the corps' press and public relations office.
The operation is being carried out "in retaliation for the numerous crimes committed by the Zionist regime, especially the attack on the consular section of the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Damascus which was witnessed by the members of a group of officers and military advisers of our country in Syria." , state television added.
According to a statement by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, "Tehran will not hesitate to take further defensive measures to safeguard its interests against any military attack.
"The perverted regime will be punished"
No Iranian leaders have spoken publicly since the launch of this military operation – the first to be launched directly against Israeli territory since Iran's Islamic revolution in 1979.
It is being conducted with "the approval of the Supreme National Security Council and under the supervision of the National Defense General Staff," Iranian state television said, adding that details would soon be announced "to the heroic people of Iran and freedom fighters around the world." ».
Hundreds of people gathered in Palestine Square, one of the largest in central Tehran, to celebrate the operation, waving Iranian flags and chanting slogans against Israel and the US, an AFP reporter found. Gatherings were also held in other cities, such as Kom.
Minutes after the operation was launched, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's X Platform account posted a video clip of a speech he delivered on Wednesday, in which he said "the perverted regime will be punished".
Ayatollah Khamenei had already declared on April 3 that there would be retaliation against Israel for the bombing of the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus, which he attributed to the Israeli army. It killed seven members of the Revolutionary Guards, including two lieutenant generals of the Quds Force, which is in charge of Iran's operations abroad.