Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel on Saturday was successfully intercepted with US and ally assistance, marking a major escalation in the ongoing covert conflict between the two nations.

Iran’s unprecedented overnight attack on Israel has been “foiled,” the Israeli military said Sunday, with hundreds of missiles and drones intercepted with the help of the United States and allies.

The attack which began late Saturday marks a major escalation of the long-running covert war between the regional foes, and comes against the backdrop of the ongoing war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Iran’s proxies and allies also carried out coordinated attacks on Israeli positions as sirens sounded in many places and AFP correspondents heard blasts in the skies above Jerusalem early Sunday.

Iran had repeatedly threatened to retaliate against Israel for a deadly April 1 air strike on its Damascus consular building, and Washington had warned in recent days that the reprisals were imminent.

Late Saturday, the Israeli army said Iran had launched a “massive swarm of over 200 killer drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.”

The army said it had scrambled dozens of fighter jets to intercept “all aerial threats,” and was working with the US and other allies to stop the launches.

People in Jerusalem sought cover, while some residents stockpiled water.

“As you can see it’s empty, everybody is running home,” said Eliyahu Barakat, a 49-year-old grocery shop owner in Jerusalem’s Mamilla neighbourhood.

Early Sunday, the Israeli army said that 99 percent of the launches had been intercepted.

“The Iranian attack was foiled,” military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a televised statement.

US President Joe Biden reiterated Washington’s “ironclad” support for Israel after an urgent meeting with his top security officials on the spiralling crisis.

 

‘Stay away’

 

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed a drone and missile attack was launched against Israel in retaliation for the Damascus strike which killed seven Guards, two of them generals.

The Guards said ballistic missiles were fired almost an hour after the slower moving drones.

Hundreds of Iranians gathered in Tehran’s Palestine Square waving Iranian and Palestinian flags in a show of support for the military action against Israel.

Iran’s allies in the region joined the attack, with Yemen’s Tehran-backed Houthis also launching drones at Israel, according to security agency Ambrey.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement announced it had fired rockets at Israeli positions in the annexed Golan Heights around the same time, as well as a second barrage hours later.

Tehran’s official IRNA news agency said the attack had dealt “heavy blows” to an air base in the Negev desert, but the Israeli army said there had only been minor damage.

The Iranian mission to the United Nations warned Washington to keep out of Iran’s conflict with Israel.

 

‘Take the win’

 

Despite Iran’s warnings, the United States had “helped Israel take down nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles,” according to Biden.

The US president later said he told Netanyahu during a phone call “that Israel demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks — sending a clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten the security of Israel.”

News outlet Axios said Biden had told Netanyahu that he would oppose an Israeli counterattack against Iran and that he should “take the win.”

Before Tehran launched its attack on Saturday, the Israeli military warned Iran it would suffer the “consequences for choosing to escalate the situation any further.”

The Security Council was to meet at around 2000 GMT Sunday to discuss the latest crisis at Israel’s request, its current president Malta said.

Biden said he would also convene his fellow leaders of the G7 group of wealthy nations on Sunday to coordinate a “united diplomatic response” to Iran’s “brazen” attack.

Shortly before the launches, Netanyahu said Israel was prepared for a “direct attack from Iran.”

Israel has closed its airspace but reopened it at 0430 GMT, according to its airport authority. Schools nationwide did not open on Sunday.

Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon also announced they were temporarily closing their airspace.

Jay Deshmukh and Louis Baudoin-Laarman, with AFP