A devastating bombing on the Damascus consulate annexe earlier this month prompted Iran to unleash an unprecedented attack on Israel late on Saturday night, involving more than 200 drones and missiles.
Sirens could be heard around the city early on Sunday, and AFP journalists reported hearing explosions in the air over Jerusalem. Iran's allies and proxies reportedly organized concerted strikes against Israeli sites.
A fatal airstrike on Iran's Damascus consulate annexe on April 1 had prompted Iran to threaten to hit Israel. In recent days, Washington has issued repeated warnings that a reaction is imminent.
As part of Operation "True Promise," the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) of Iran launched "extensive" retaliation drone and missile attacks against "certain targets" within Israel.
After the IRGC said that Operation "True Promise" was a form of "punishment for Israeli crimes," the Israeli military stated that the drones, which were reported to have been spotted flying over the country from Iran by Iraqi security sources, would take hours to reach their objectives.
An announcement from the military spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, was shown on television. "Iran launched UAVs from its territory towards the territory of the state of Israel."
Rear Admiral Hagari stated, "In order to act against the launches and intercept them, we are working in close cooperation with the United States and our partners in the region."
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have stated that they are launching a drone and missile attack on Israel in response to the Damascus strike that claimed the lives of seven Guardsmen, including two generals. The Guards said its ballistic missiles were fired almost an hour after the slower-moving drones.
Hundreds of Iranians gathered in Tehran's Palestine Square to celebrate the historic military strike against Israel while flying Iranian and Palestinian flags.
On the other hand, US President Joe Biden pledged Washington's "ironclad" support for Israel during a critical discussion over the rapidly escalating situation with his senior security officers.