Iran attacks Israel with hundreds of drones and missiles

On the evening of April 13, Iran announced the launch of drones and ballistic missiles towards Israel. IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said Iran launched a total of 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles and 120 ballistic missiles.

According to Khagari, the attack lasted about five hours. All of the drones were eventually shot down by Israel or its allies outside the country. Also, not a single cruise missile hit Israeli territory. At the same time, some ballistic missiles managed to overcome the defenses and strike the Israeli Nevatim airbase in the south of the country. Khagari noted that the facility received minor damage and continues to operate.

“Iran thought it could paralyze the base and thereby cripple our air capabilities, but it failed. Air Force aircraft continue to take off and land from the base, as well as being deployed on offensive and defensive missions,” the IDF spokesman said. Earlier, Israeli officials reported that the US, UK, Jordan and France were helping Israel intercept missiles and drones.

As a result of the attack, 31 Israelis needed help. They suffered minor injuries or experienced severe anxiety on their way to air raid shelters. A 10-year-old girl was seriously injured by shrapnel. Israeli authorities did not report any other casualties.

“The matter can be considered over. But if the Israeli regime makes another mistake, Iran's response will be much more severe,” the Iranian mission to the UN said in a statement. The commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami, said that "the attack was more successful than we expected."

Later, the Iranian Foreign Ministry called the launch of missiles and drones against Israel a response to the attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria, which occurred on April 1. Then Reuters, citing a source , reported the death of four members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and several Syrian military personnel. Iran promised to respond to Israel.

Iran's attack on Israel on the night of April 14 was condemned by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak , head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell and French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejournet . CNN notes that US President Joe Biden made it clear to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the country will not participate in offensive operations against Iran.

Earlier, on April 13, Iran seized a container ship that was passing through the Strait of Hormuz under the flag of Portugal. The MSC Aries was moving from the UAE to India. The container ship is owned by the British company Zodiac Maritime, which is part of the Zodiac Group of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called the incident piracy and called on EU countries to declare the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization and impose sanctions against Iran. Shortly after Iran seized the container ship, Israel launched strikes on Hezbollah positions in Lebanon, an organization backed by Iran.

Sibir.Realii reported that there is a Russian citizen on board the hijacked ship MSC Aries. His name is not given, but it is known that he is a native of Vladivostok, and that he holds the position of senior engineer on the container ship. In addition to him, there were 17 Indians, four Filipinos, two Pakistanis and an Estonian citizen on board during the hijacking.

The Russian embassy in Iran reported that the Russian's name is T. S. Kolchanov, and that department employees are in constant contact with local authorities and the sailor's relatives.

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