Tehran/Jerusalem: Iran launched more than 100 drones targeting Israel in the early hours of Friday in a significant escalation, following Israeli airstrikes on Tehran earlier this week. The Israeli military confirmed the attack, with its defense systems actively engaged in intercepting the drones, as per a report by the India Today.
Brigadier General Effie Deffrin, spokesperson for the Israeli army, stated that the country’s multi-layered air defense was responding to the threat. The drone assault prompted a regional reaction, with Jordan closing its airspace as a precautionary measure, and other neighboring countries monitoring the developments closely.
This comes just hours after a massive Israeli strike hit Tehran, reportedly killing General Hossein Salami, the head of Iran’s elite paramilitary force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Salami was known for his strong anti-Israel and anti-US rhetoric and played a key role in Iran’s regional military strategy.
In a televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that the operation was a “targeted military effort to eliminate the Iranian threat to Israel’s existence.” He emphasized that the mission would continue “as long as necessary” to neutralize perceived threats.
Defense Minister Israel Katz also described the action as a “preemptive strike” and announced a special state of emergency across Israel to ensure national security and protect civilians amid rising threats of retaliation.
Meanwhile, loud explosions were reported across Tehran early Friday. Iranian state broadcaster IRIB confirmed the blasts but said the cause was still under investigation. There is speculation that Israeli missiles may have struck key military or nuclear infrastructure.
Earlier this week, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) had warned that if military action was taken against the Islamic Republic, it would respond by targeting Israel’s secret nuclear facilities. This came after Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib claimed that Iran had obtained a large cache of sensitive Israeli documents through intelligence operations, identifying strategic sites for potential attacks.
Though Israel has long maintained a policy of “strategic ambiguity” regarding its nuclear arsenal, it is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons.
The tit-for-tat strikes come at a time of heightened international concern over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and growing instability across the Middle East.
