Israel’s Response to Iran’s Retaliatory Strike
Iran threatened to respond to an assassination at its embassy, and on Saturday night, it followed through with a retaliatory strike on Israel, sparking fears of a wider confrontation.
Iran launched its retaliatory strike on Saturday night in response to Israel’s deadly attack on Iranian officers at the Islamic Republic’s embassy in Damascus. The response began with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seizing a vessel in the Red Sea linked to Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s company, Zodiac Maritime. This initial move was followed by multiple waves of attack drones and missiles targeting Israeli assets by around 11 pm local time.
The attack included drones, such as the Shahed-136 models, which were believed to be deployed to confuse Israeli radar systems and facilitate missile penetration. The Israeli military reported that the missile barrage consisted of both ballistic and cruise missiles.
The recent escalation, particularly Iran’s attack on Saturday, has raised concerns about the possibility of a full-scale regional war breaking out. Despite the uncertainty surrounding future developments, Iran appears to be signaling its reluctance to escalate the conflict further.
According to Iran’s permanent mission to the UN on X, formerly Twitter, the situation may be considered resolved following the retaliatory strike.
Current Status of the Conflict
The retaliatory strike on Saturday marked a significant escalation in the longstanding tensions between Iran and Israel. Iran claimed to have launched dozens of drones, while Israeli military sources indicated that more than 100 drones were involved in the attack.
Due to the extended flight time of the drones to reach Israeli airspace, US, Israeli, and Jordanian forces were on high alert to intercept the aircraft. Several neighboring countries, including Jordan, closed their airspace on Saturday night.
As of the latest reports, the US has intercepted an undisclosed number of drones, and Ha’aretz stated that the ballistic missile phase of Iran’s attack had ended.
The US has pledged unwavering support in the event of an Iranian attack on Israeli territory, deploying additional forces and assets to the region to prepare for any potential escalation. The UK has also backed US efforts in the region.
The drones were reportedly targeting the Golan Heights and the Negev desert, where various Israeli military installations and a US base are located. Israeli missile defense systems successfully intercepted many of the incoming weapons.
So far, one person has been reported injured, and minor damage was inflicted on an Israeli military base during the attack.
Implications for a Regional War
Concerns have been mounting over the possibility of the Gaza conflict expanding into a broader regional war. While Iran has strongly criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza, it had previously allowed affiliated groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon and militias in Iraq and Syria to engage in conflicts with the Israeli military.
The US had deployed warships to the region early in the conflict to deter further escalation. Additionally, the Houthi rebel group in Yemen targeted ships in the Red Sea Strait in response to Israeli actions in Gaza.
Israel’s attack on Iran’s embassy in Damascus on April 1 triggered the recent escalation, with both countries confirming the launch of cruise missiles toward Israeli targets. Iran’s decision to retaliate stems from its obligation to respond to the embassy attack, despite the economic and security challenges it faces internally.
While internal dynamics in Iran make a full-scale war unattractive, the regime felt compelled to respond to the attack on its embassy in Damascus. Hardliners within the Iranian government criticized the lack of response to previous escalations attributed to Israel, pushing for a decisive reaction.
As of now, there have been no reports of Israeli casualties. The upcoming actions of Israel in response to Iran’s retaliatory strike remain uncertain.
Correction, April 18, 5:30 pm ET: An earlier version of this story, originally published on April 13, misstated the location of Israel’s primary nuclear research center and one of its largest air bases. Both facilities are located in the Negev desert.
