Israel is intercepting drones launched by Iran and sirens were sounded in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in the early hours of Sunday (14), local time.
The interceptions took place in both cities, as well as in areas of Beersheba, the Dead Sea and Hebron, in the West Bank and in the Golan Heights, on the border with Syria.
Iron Dome interceptions occurred at several additional locations, according to live webcams viewed by CNN .
“We continue to see multiple interceptions in the skies above me, coming from multiple different directions. It is difficult to tell what is an approaching missile and what is an interception,” reported Nic Robertson, special envoy for the CNN .
“I'm hearing multiple, multiple detonations, again what appear to be interceptions. I can’t hear the sound of the impacts,” Robertson continued.
According to the special envoy, 20 to 30 interceptions were witnessed.
US systems also intercepted drones, according to two US officials.
The sources did not specify how the US intercepted the drones and where.
Jordan also intercepted drones flying through its territory.
Iran launched more than 100 drones against Israeli territory.
Iran's retaliation was already predicted by Israeli authorities, after the Islamic Republic accused Israel of carrying out an attack on the country's diplomatic representation in Syria last week, amid the intensification of tensions between the two countries in recent months.
“The malicious Zionist regime will be punished,” said Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a social media post this Saturday.
Israel's airspace was temporarily closed to landings and takeoffs, following a measure that had already been adopted this Saturday by neighboring Jordan, which said it was ready to intercept attacks, still amid fears that retaliation would occur.
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the country, “especially in recent weeks”, had been preparing for “direct attacks” from Iran – in general, Israel is usually attacked by radical Islamic groups supported by the Iranians , but not for the Islamic Republic itself.
“Whoever hurts us will also be hurt. We will defend ourselves against any threat and we will do so with balance and determination,” said Netanyahu.
After the Israeli armed forces went public to say that they had identified Iranian attacks, the United States came to the defense of the allied country, stressing that American support for Israel is “inflexible”.
“We will stand with the people of Israel and support their defense against threats from Iran,” said the White House in a statement, also stating that President Joe Biden would meet this Saturday with his national security team to discuss the issue.
The country's war cabinet, established after the offensive by the radical Palestinian Islamic group Hamas against Israel in October 2023, is also meeting at this time, as tension increases in the Middle East, with Lebanon also choosing to temporarily close its airspace.
Anticipating possible counterattacks, Iran's Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani said the Islamic Republic would act against countries that decided to “open their airspace or territory to Israeli attacks,” according to Iranian news agency Mehr. .
*Published by Douglas Porto, with information from Reuters and CNN Internacional
Source: CNN Brasil
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