Iranian drones in the air and everybody is on high alert.
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Iranian drones in the air and everybody is on high alert.
What could be the rational for anyone to announce they have sent 100 drones on their way to Israel----and they will be there in about 4 hours----oh---and by the way we are going to fire a few missiles your way as well :doh:
This thing is so fluid that to monitor it you would be best to find a trusted news source (if you have one) and follow their coverage which is live:
From the NYT:
Quote:
Pinned
Updated
April 13, 2024, 6:51 p.m. ET4 minutes ago
4 minutes ago
Aaron Boxerman, Ronen Bergman, Farnaz Fassihi and Eric Nagourney
Here are the latest developments.
Iran launched a broad aerial attack from its territory toward Israel on Saturday, in retaliation for a deadly Israeli airstrike in early April on the Iranian Embassy complex in Damascus, the Israeli and Iranian militaries said.
Just before 2 a.m. local time, air-raid sirens sounded across southern Israel. The government sent out dozens of warnings about possible missiles and aircraft arriving in the Negev Desert, where there are several military bases.
The attack, while expected, threatened to open a volatile new chapter in the long-running shadow war between Iran and Israel, marking a significant escalation in hostilities between the two regional foes.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps said in a statement broadcast on state television that it had launched “dozens of drones and missiles” toward Israel from Iran “in reaction to the Zionist regime’s crimes.”
Israeli intelligence confirmed that dozens of drones and cruise missiles were heading toward Israel from Iran and Iraq, according to two Israeli officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss military intelligence. They were expected to hit targets in the Golan Heights and an Israeli air force base in the Negev Desert, the officials said.
Iran’s action on Saturday came after a week of diplomacy and conflicting reports about how far Tehran would go in response to the Damascus attack, and whether it would risk starting an outright war with Israel.
The White House vowed to help Israel defend itself. President Biden cut short a weekend at his vacation home in Delaware to return to the White House and huddle with his national security team.
“This attack is likely to unfold over a number of hours,” said Adrienne Watson, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council. “President Biden has been clear: Our support for Israel’s security is ironclad. The United States will stand with the people of Israel and support their defense against these threats from Iran.”
Senior Iranian officials and military commanders had pledged to retaliate since the Israeli airstrike in Damascus on April 1. Seven Iranian officers, including three top commanders, were killed in the strike, inciting Iranian vows to avenge the deaths.
Here’s what else to know:
The Israeli military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said in a televised briefing that Israeli forces were tracking the drones, which they were expected to try to intercept. President Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel was meeting with his war cabinet, according to a statement from his office.
Analysts said that the goal of any Iranian response would be to try to deter Israel from more assassinations. But any of Iran’s potential options for retaliating carried big risks.
Current and former American officials said it is likely that Iran will try to synchronize the drone attack with faster moving missiles, which would be launched later. The slow moving drones, the former official said, could be used to distract Israeli defenses.
The Israeli military said on Saturday that all schools would be closed across the country and gatherings of more than 1,000 people limited. The military said the restrictions would go into effect from 11 p.m. Saturday local time and last until 11 p.m. Monday.
Eric Schmitt contributed reporting.
I cannot imagine how stressful it must be to live in a country that is either in a war, or prepping for war, since it came into existence. It's impressive neither side has used nukes - a status I strongly hope continues.
Hunter
It's my understanding from experts on several news sources that they are using the drones as a distraction for further escalation. In fact I've just heard it reported that cruise missiles have been launched.
The NYT link above said that they had launched cruise missiles.Quote:
Originally Posted by Honda
You can find an extensive report on AP.
Most drones and missiles have been shot down, some by the US. There were also ballistic missiles fired. Of the few that have gotten through only minor damage resulted.
The total of all devices is now being said to be over 300. The US took out more than 70 which included ballistics missiles.
This morning's summary in the NYT:
Quote:
Iran’s missile attack on Israel has ended, for now, and virtually none of the missiles reached their targets.
Iran last night launched more than 300 drones and missiles in retaliation for an apparent Israeli strike on an Iranian embassy two weeks ago. Iran’s attacks caused minor damage at one military base, and shrapnel seriously injured a 7-year-old girl from an Arab Bedouin community in southern Israel. But Israel intercepted most of the drones and missiles. The U.S. and Jordan also shot some down.
The big question this morning is whether the conflict between the two countries will now return to its previous situation — a long-running shadow war — or enter a more dangerous new stage.
Last night did represent something new: Experts believe it was the first time Iran attacked Israel from Iranian territory. But Iran telegraphed the attack days in advance, and it did not cause extensive casualties — which increases the likelihood that both countries will be willing to de-escalate.
Today’s newsletter tells you what else we know. You can follow the developments all day on The Times’s website and app.
"...increases the likelihood that both countries will be willing to de-escalate."
- NYT
Hope. A humane condition which Homo Sapiens have the ability to muster. The efficacy of it is questioned, yet its resilience is steadfast.
Hunter
I think the coverage of this on AP is about as good reporting as I have found. You can follow AP here.
Israel hailed its air defenses in the face of an unprecedented attack by Iran, saying the systems thwarted 99% of the more than 300 drones and missiles launched toward its territory.
- AP
"Iran's human rights record is exceptionally poor. The Iranian government is undemocratic, has frequently persecuted and arrested critics of the government, and severely restricts the participation of candidates in elections and political activities. Sexual activity between members of the same sex is illegal and is punishable by death."
- Wikipedia
Hunter
Somehow I just can't imagine God signing on with the thought of him being in charge of a country and working through some grumpy old Ayatollah:
Iran is not the only theocracy, most of which are Muslim.Quote:
In theocracies, the ruler is simultaneously the head of government and religion. There is no separation of church and state and open practice of only the prevailing religion is allowed. The rulers in theocracies hold office by divine grace and conduct their rule based on the prevailing religion.
The Catholic Church in Vatican City is close but does not make the grade:
Quote:
A theocracy is often defined in contrast to an ecclesiocracy, in which religious leaders direct the government but do not claim that they act as earthly instruments of a deity. The papacy in the Papal States occupies a middle ground between theocracy and ecclesiocracy since the pope does not claim to be a prophet who receives direct revelation from God for translation into civil law
In theocracies, the ruler is simultaneously the head of government and religion. There is no separation of church and state and open practice of only the prevailing religion is allowed. The rulers in theocracies hold office by divine grace and conduct their rule based on the prevailing religion.
Well, our Catholic brethren did take their turn at the helm but grew out of it (as did Protestants).
I see Islamic people as being headed in seemingly disparate directions. Though Saudis (e.g.) are relatively progressive, Iran (et al.) want to turn back the clock.
Hunter
When I was working in the West Bank in 1980 during the first intafada I dodged car bombs, rockets from the Golan, land mines on the roads, machine gun fire. Everywhere you went it was open carry of Machine guns. Jerusalem. Dome of the rock, and the mosque of Omar are on the temple mount. Dome of the rock is where Mohammad died and ascended a gold chain to heaven (a gold chain hangs from the top of the dome to the rock at the center of the Mosque. At the base of the temple mount is the western wall of the Temple of David, A short walk from both is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre . 3 of the holiest places of each religion. The fanatics on each side will never give it up until all of them are dead.
TriGuy nails.
Hunter