ISRAEL STANDS FIRM - RAF jets ‘shoot down Iran drones and missiles’ as 300 blasted out of sky by allies after huge barrage launched at Israel

Iran unleashed dozens of drones and missiles towards Israel

ALERT: 331 missiles and drones launched by Iran at Israel:

- 185 out of 185 Kamikaze Drones were shot down

- 103 out of 110 Ballistic Missiles were shot down

- 36 out of 36 Cruise Missiles were shot down

- 7 Ballistic Missile impacts have been recorded on Israeli territory

By Aliki Kraterou |  Emer Scully

April 14, 2024

BRITISH RAF jets reportedly shot down some of the 300 Iranian drones and missiles headed towards Israel on Saturday.

The anticipated reprisal attack devastated Israel overnight, injuring a young Israeli girl and pushing the region to the brink of all-out war.

Explosions were last night seen in the skies above Jerusalem. Credit: Getty

Israel's anti-missile system in action after Iran's attack. Credit: Reuters

Explosions were heard in Jerusalem on Saturday night. Credit: Reuters

Iran has launched a huge drone strike against Israel. Credit: Rex

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had vowed to hit back at Israel after a strike on his country's consulate in Syria. Credit: Rex

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was prepared for the attack.

Sirens and loud explosions were heard as Israel's air defences repulsed the huge attack.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said most of the drones and missiles were intercepted away from the country's borders.

IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said a small number of the ground-to-ground Iranian missiles struck Israel, wounding a girl and causing minor damage to a military base in the south.

British and US military forces downed a number of drones over the Iraq-Syrian border, according to Israeli state media.

UK defence secretary Grant Shapps said Iran's "senseless" attack "serves no benefit other than to further undermine regional security". 

He confirmed several RAF jets had been deployed to the region to "intercept any airborne attacks within range of our existing missions, as required."

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned "in the strongest terms" Iran's "reckless attack" which he said showed that it was "intent on sowing chaos in its own backyard".

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu convened his war cabinet ahead of the drones' arrival.

Israelis were warned the drones would take around eight hours to reach the country — at 2am local time, midnight in the UK.

Rear Admiral Hagari said: "We have prepared for diverse scenarios in advance.

"In order to intercept these launches, we have the circles of protection from both the navy and the air force on several layers.

"We are going to try to prevent them from reaching Israeli territory, that is our task.

"If they do enter Israeli airspace, then you will hear sirens and alarms wherever these threats enter and we will intercept them.

"I remind you—it doesn’t matter from where the threat is launched, if an alarm sounds, you must enter the shelter and stay there for ten minutes.

"Ten minutes after the alarm ends, no less.

"We will update you in real-time if you need to stay there longer."

Jordan shut down airspace with several planes diverted before the attacks were announced by the IDF.

Several airlines announced they were halting flights over Iran and Israel amid safety fears.

US president Joe Biden cut short a weekend trip to Delaware to return to Washington for an urgent meeting with his security team to discuss the crisis.

American warships shot down some of the weapons outside Israeli territory but President Biden has already told Netanyahu that America would not participate in any offensive operation against Iran.

The Foreign Office has already advised Brits to flee Lebanon following a drone blitz on the north of Israel by Hamas and Iran ally Hezbollah.

Guidance on Israel is being monitored with officials ready to declare a “do not travel” alert if the situation escalates.

The drones are understood to have been launched from the Kermanshah province of Iran in the northeast of the country, some 750 miles from Israeli soil.

One of the officials said the weapons were expected to target Israeli government sites, not civilians or religious sites.

Iran had vowed to take revenge on Israel after accusing it of orchestrating a strike on its Syrian consulate in Damascus earlier this month which killed 13 people.

That included senior military commander Mohammad Reza Zahedi, although the IDF has repeatedly denied being behind the attack.

Last night, Mr Sunak said: "I condemn in the strongest terms the Iranian regime's reckless attack against Israel.

"These strikes risk inflaming tensions and destabilising the region.

"Iran has once again demonstrated that it is intent on sowing chaos in its own backyard.

"The UK will continue to stand up for Israel's security and that of all our regional partners, including Jordan and Iraq.

"Alongside our allies, we are urgently working to stabilise the situation and prevent further escalation. No-one wants to see more bloodshed."

Foreign Secretary David Cameron added: "Iran's reckless attacks on Israel will only further inflame tensions in the Middle East.

"The UK calls on the Iranian regime to stop this serious escalation, which is in no one’s interest."

Earlier on Saturday Mr Netanyahu had said Israel was prepared for a "direct attack from Iran" following its threats of retaliation for a deadly air strike on its Damascus consulate.

"Our defence systems are deployed, we are prepared for any scenario, both in defence and attack," he said in a televised statement, adding that Israel had the backing of the United States and "many" countries.

Israel had also warned that Iran would suffer the "consequences for choosing to escalate the situation any further."

The strong warning came after Iran seized a container ship linked to Israel in the Gulf, and as Israel announced it was closing schools nationwide for security reasons.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted his country is "prepared for any scenario" as they continue to fight in Gaza.

On Sunday morning, Iran’s military said that the country’s drone and missile attack on Israel had “achieved all its objectives”.

Mohammad Bagheri, the Iranian armed forces’ chief of staff, told state TV. “Operation Honest Promise … was completed successfully from last night to this morning and achieved all its objectives."

Bagheri said the retaliatory attack targeted an “intelligence centre” and the airbase from which Tehran says the Israeli F-35 jets took off to strike the Damascus consulate on April 1.

“Both these centres were significantly destroyed and put out of order,” he said, despite Israel claiming the attack only resulted in minor damage.

“We see this operation as complete, and this operation has ended in our opinion,” Bagheri said.

He added: “There is no intention to continue this operation."

Bagheri has also called on Israel to avoid taking further action against Iran, which would result in a “much bigger” response.

Iranians burning an Israel flag before the attack.

Israel is preparing to respond to Iran's attack.