As part of an attack against Israel, the country of Iran has launched a wave of drones.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel’s armed forces were ready.
“I established a clear principle – whoever hurts us, we hurt him. We will protect ourselves from any threat and we will do so with coolness and determination.”
Multiple drones spotted in southern #Iraq coming from #Iran. pic.twitter.com/03iakhSdWQ
— UK Defence Journal (@UKDefJournal) April 13, 2024
An IDF spokesman said:
“A short while ago, Iran launched drones from its territory and the territory of its agents towards the territory of the State of Israel. We are monitoring the threat in the airspace. Talking about a threat that requires several hours to reach Israeli territory.
The IDF and the Air Force are implementing the well-planned plans they are preparing to deal with. As part of preparations, GPS services are not available in several locations across the country. The disruption occurred in a concentrated and temporary manner”
Iran launched UAVs from within its territory toward Israel a short while ago.
The IDF is on high alert and is constantly monitoring the operational situation. The IDF Aerial Defense Array is on high alert, along with IAF fighter jets and Israeli Navy vessels that are on a… pic.twitter.com/eEySouGVcN
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 13, 2024
🚨 Israel has stated that their air defences are now on high alert, and "dozens of planes are in the skies—prepared and ready" in preparation for an Iranian attack. pic.twitter.com/eeMQYwWlmA
— UK Defence Journal (@UKDefJournal) April 13, 2024
ATM (21:45 GMT ) it appears to be drones only.
I fear Iran is launching drones first to occupy Israel’s air defences and then will launch ballistic / cruise missiles … I guess we have to wait and see
I suspect they will seek to exhaust missile stocks using large wave drone attacks, then use the deadlier missiles at a later stage. UK could help by upping typhoon numbers in Cyprus which could intercept some of them over Syria.
RAF tanker took off from Akrotiri a couple of hours ago and flew into Turkish airspace (watched it on flightradar24) – transponder is off now.
Surprised to hear Sunak’s recent statement, saying that he is working with allies in seeking to de-escalate. I would have expected a more firm response from western allies. Maybe a limited missile strike on some launch sites within Iranian territory.
Maybe that will only come if they seek to close the strait of Hormuz.
I think they might dangle that as a threat – i.e. any Western / Arab countries help Israel and we close the Strait. Depending on how all this turns out this might actually help Ukraine as I imagine Iran’s Shahed drone and armaments factories are now a primary target.
That might be the case if Israel was actually a UK ally, since it’s just the US then their won’t be a western response.
Sorry Jim, it appears the UK and Jordan joined the US in downing the motley collection of drones, cruise missiles and missiles. CNN: US and UK jets intercept and shoot down missiles on route to Israel. Israeli officials said “jets from US, Jordanian and UK militaries shot down dozens of Iranian drones headed toward Israel”, without disclosing how many were shot down or the precise locations. Security sources told Reuters that US and UK forces operating from bases in the region shot down a number of Iranian drones in southern Syria and Iraq near the Jordanian border. Jets from Jordan’s… Read more »
Gareth wrote:
“”RAF tanker took off from Akrotiri a couple of hours ago and flew into Turkish airspace (watched it on flightradar24) – transponder is off now.””
Just read that the UK is sending Typhoons based in Cyprus to help defend Israel. I hope this acts as a spur to accelerate the development and then deployment of the new ECRA MK2 ASEA radar
Given Israel’s ample stock of nuclear weapons I suggest not. Very bad idea launch any kind of mass attack on a nuclear armed power but especially ballistic missiles. I dare say the reason they are using ridiculously slow drones that are well advertised is for this very reason.
I may be a Cynic but why did Netanyahu pick now to attack an Iranian Embassy and didn’t even tell the US what he was doing ? Iran was doing what it usually does and fighting via its Proxies, now it’s direct and that is really bad. Anyone with a brain cell wouldn’t have deliberately prodded Iran directly, now they are hitting back, Israel will quite rightly defend itself and then retaliate so they are now in a Tit for Tat direct War with Iran. If I were a betting man the drones are en route and the Iranians will… Read more »
The Israelis subscribe to the view that the world wont come to their rescue especially after years of left wing and Islamist propaganda which only paints the jews as the bad guy. So the only people they can trust is themselves. So Iran. It is no secret that Tehran has been building up its assets on the countries that surround Israel for a massive attack for a number of years now. We see that with the huge number of arms shipments into the region which due to the US base at Al-Tanf, has seen Iran having to take the longway… Read more »
Iran are a bloody nightmare, but as long as they stuck to just using proxies it was manageable. But regardless of anything else Israel essentially poured Petrol on it, the result is that the US, Jordan and U.K. are all directly piling in to shoot down these drones and missiles. 2 wrongs don’t make a right. But Netanyahu seems blindly intent on making an appalling situation even worse and isn’t listening to anyone. He has just got himself off Bidens Naughty step by causing a direct attack on Israel. Interestingly Iran is emphasising that this is a limited action in… Read more »
The irony of Iran hitting the Al-Aqsa mosque would be compounded by the name of Hamas’s October attack: Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.
However the Arab world would blame it on a false-flag Israeli attack and call for Jihad. Even putting aside civilian casualties, very much better that it doesn’t happen.
Just had a thought, it looks like Iran is targeting military and intelligence targets, if / when Israel responds it would be great if they could flatten Irans drone factories.
Piss Putin off as well 😉
I lived in the middle East for 23 odd years( mostly on the red sea in israel) and I think you hit the nail on the head almost exactly mate.
Solid analysis.
Hmmm…this has the potential to become a very sporting proposition. Hopefully, the participants exhibit the good sense to cap the escalation at some sub-critical threshold level. Otherwise, the Israelis may perceive full-on drone and missile barrages simultaneously from Houthis, Hezbollah, and the Iranian s as an existential threat to the survival of Israel. That would be the signal for an entirely different ballgame. Free to speculate, having no access to non-public/classified info, however, many articles on nuclear inventories estimate Israeli stockpile at approximately 90 weapons. Would presume that a majority (or perhaps all) are gravity weapons and that the Israelis… Read more »
The Daily Telegraph reported in the last hour that RAF Typhoons took off from our base in Cyprus and have shot down a number of drones launched by Iran and bound for Israel.
Excellent! 👍😊
FormerUSAF, Are you are talking about the Samson Option? Israel has been quite open on what it would do. In a quirk the Samson Option is almost the same as what Putini has drawn up for Russia. I don’t think we are anywhere near that.
The “Samson Option” of the book’s title refers to the nuclear strategy whereby Israel would launch a massive nuclear retaliatory strike if the state itself was being overrun, just as the Biblical figure Samson is said to have pushed apart the pillars of a Philistine temple, bringing down the roof and killing himself..
No nuclear warheads were aimed at Arab cities. They aimed them at Russia.. ” if we go down.. everyone goes down”
Thanks, did not realize the strategy had a title. May need to add title to next Amazon order…😉😁
On youtube Simon Webb ( History Debunked ) today posted a video about the Masada Complex that covers it.
Thanks. 👍
It might have been prompted by the Iranian backed attack on Eilat from its Iraqi proxies on the night of the 31st March. The Israeli attack came not long after on the 1st April. I’d guess Israel’s attack had been planned some time in advance, but the Eilat attack could have been the trigger. The probable target, an Israeli Sa’ar 6 corvette in port, appears to have been more vulnerable than might have been expected, even though the Iranian drone that exploded didn’t quite reach it. There was minor infrastructure damage to the port and under other circumstances you could… Read more »
Iran has been prodding Israel for decades via its proxies, so IMHO direct confrontation was inevitable. So the day has come.
The Israelis had an absolute right to defend themselves and the Iranians are stirring the pot for their own benefit as always. Hammas are absolute animals and need to be destroyed as an organisation root and branch but i can’t help think that the Israelies have screwed this entire situation. You cant just blow up consulates. The attacks on them are horrific and unacceptable but the reaction from them looks to be against international law, at least to me, and frankly terrible to watch. Imagine if after the Manchester bombing if the British government started bombing all of the catholic… Read more »
The Yanks need to just tell the Israeli Parliament that Netanyahu goes or US support does. Blunt and simple. He is a loose cannon that’s getting a lot of folks killed including his own.
Never understood how they missed the October Attack coming and their response was lethargic.
Congress couldn’t agree how to spell “go” just now, much less take an agreed position.
ABCRodney? You are suggesting the US tells a democracy and ally, that their democratically elected Prime Minister must “go”? Dont hold your breath. There’s not enough non-Israeli supporting politicians to make that stick. The Jewish lobby in Washington is far too imbedded for any standing up to Israel for its actions in Gaza or Lebanon. Before I finish, I fully supported Israel’s right to defend itself and go after Hamas. The problem is there’s no measured restraint by Israel. They have destroyed the Gaza Strip from what I have seen. Ultimately, it could mean the death of several hundred thousand,… Read more »
Watching the news live and thinking…
Fire hundreds of slow easy to shoot down drones. If none get through you look weak. Can’t see any point to this strategy.
So are they..
Firing hundreds of drones and any minute now their about to chuck another hundred ballistic missiles and throw in some cruise missiles?!
Edge of the seat stuff. Just need some pop corn!
I hope the Israelis wipe the bloody floor with them, it’s been a very long time coming. The Israelis should go for key nodes and military targets, as said, utterly destroy their ability to build missiles and drones and knock the shit out of their Airforce while they are at it. The West ( US Navy let’s face it) should tell Iran that if they attack civilian shipping in the straights of Hormuz, then the gloves come off and we surgically remove their ability to do so. Every ship and gunboat should be destroyed and all the naval installations raised… Read more »
The Iranians don’t have much of a conventional navy. After the initial salvo it would be like the Red Sea situation times 1,000.
Shore based anti ship missiles and mini subs would be a bigger threat than Irans surface fleet.
I’m afraid you just mallet 7 shades out of them then. If they don’t stop, you set about dismantling their military capability, from their C4 assets down until you collapse that vile regime from within along with its ability to manufacture and supply drones and missiles. Simultaneously, arm and equip the Iranian opposition and do to them what they have been doing to everyone else, i.e destabilise them from within. Much as the thought of more war in that area of the world is absolutely appalling, the Iranians were behind the October attacks and now directly attacking the Israelis, they… Read more »
To quote John Bolton, ‘would you rather have a war with Iran now or wait until they have nuclear weapons?’.
I’m afraid that has to be factored in, or we will eventually end up with a nuclear exchange between Iran and Israel. If that happens, Iran might land one or two, Israel would probably use 10 and end them as a nation, with millions dead. It isn’t worth even thinking about…. As Israel has the home advantage here of picking it’s Iranian targets at will, I hope they pick wisely. First off, any nuclear related sites Iran’s Airforce will be utterly unable to stop F35I’s striking targets at will, I would also kill C4 and air defence assets first then… Read more »
I agree but you have to find those assets first, we know Iran disguises its missile launchers as ordinary cargo trucks.
The mini subs would be quite hard to find too.
As much as I am in favour of diminishing Irans military capabilities it would not be a quick or easy task, we are probably looking at a desert storm size air campaign.
Yeah, that was my concern too. Irans ballistic missiles are the biggest threat to Israel.
It is a sad reality, but the truth is that the lives and fate of the world’s eight billion humans lie in the hands of a tiny number of lunatics-Putin, Netenyahu, Kim, Iran’s Khameini and others. Netenyahu is the key player here. He has to be made to broker a cease fire in the Gaza conflict now.The rest will follow. Virtually all on this forum backed Israel immediately after the October attacks. Even many Muslim communities were disturbed by Hamas’s brutality. Israel had the high ground and the backing of most of the world. A hard and precise response would… Read more »
Hi Geoff, as ever an intelligent voice of reason.
Unfortunately the October attacks were of such savage depravity that this response was unavoidable.
The question of our time, how do you switch this off now???
I fear the only long term solution is to remove Iran from the equation Geoff.
Remove Iran and the terrorist groups would slowly decrease in their abilities and wither on the vine.
Thank you for your reply John and agree with your assessment regarding Iran, but how to do..?
Regards
I think the only way you could bring Iran under control is via a two stage approach and a long term plan. First, instruct Iran in the UN to stop supporting terrorist groups and end manufacturing of attack drones and ballistic missiles, or face the long term consequences of failing to act. The point of this is to give them the opportunity change course. This would be linked to lifting sanctions and encouraging them to change their ways. In the background, you instruct Iran that the West will no longer put up with this sort of behaviour and will set… Read more »
I agree. With Iran we’re dealing with bad actors who are not looking for peaceful co-existence. Any international agreement with them is always tactical and transitory. Their default strategy is always hostile. We should treat them as such and have a strategy based not merely on containing them but also of removing their teeth. If the West are a proven existential threat they will have to spend resources to defend against us. For example If they have a legitimate and proven fear of being bashed up heavily in an air attack we may see resources taken away from Drone and… Read more »
Agree with everything you say John. As with most of the world’s problems, the answers are simple but the implementation fights laziness, inertia, vested interests, criminality etc.. H.sapiens needs to stop breeding, copy what the top ten countries do, ditch what the bottom ten do, grasp the nettles!
Spot on mate. A lack of international will to stop Iran and gradually strangle that vile regime into submission or collapse will be our collective undoing.
“Netenyahu is acting like a maniac and must be reined in! “Spot on Geoff, enough is enough. What real military capability can Hammas still have?
The fact of the thing is that Netenyahu was caught off guard by the October attacks, and he knows it. I cant see him securing another political term.
Hi Klonkie-nice to hear from you. I have ex Durbanite friends living in Israel and my pal LB has conflicted feelings-on the one hand, most of his daily shopping is at the stores of Arab Israelis with whom he has close and long standing relationships, but on the other hand he firmly believes in knocking the shit out of Hamas in Gaza and to hell with the consequences! It would appear that Netenyahu’s support is fast diminishing on the ground but who knows which way it will all end? Meanwhile back here in SA we are preparing for the Election… Read more »
hi Geoff, good to hear from you. I’m heading To Cape Town on Friday for a visit – first time in 27 years ! I liked your comment re the slogan “-Lets do more together!!” 😉
Hey Klonkie-Western Cape-our last outpost 😄Enjoy!