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SvennoJ on 13 April 2024
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Jordanian jets shoot down dozens of Iranian drones flying towards Israel: Report

Reuters, citing two “regional security sources”, reports that Jordanian jets have downed dozens of Iranian drones flying across northern and central Jordan heading to Israel. The sources said the drones were brought down in the air on the Jordanian side of the Jordan Valley and were heading in the direction of Jerusalem.

Others were intercepted close to the Iraqi-Syrian border. They gave no further details.


Israel’s air defence system has not faced attack of this magnitude before

We’ve been looking out from the balcony here across the Jerusalem skyline. And we’ve seen a succession of air defence interceptors going up from various points around the city to meet targets in the sky.

And now the police seem to be going around on the streets in their cars with an announcement going out which is telling people to go to their nearest air raid shelters as quickly as they can.

The military has been telling people that the air defence systems that Israel has – that’s the Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow 2 and 3 – are very capable systems designed to deal with multiple types of threats.

It’s a layered air defence system to deal with rockets, to deal with ballistic and cruise missiles and to deal with drones as well. And that is what we’re likely to be seeing over the next few minutes and hours as these different waves of projectiles come in.

The big test of course, for this layered air defence system is, [can it] cope with an assault of this magnitude, because this is not something that Israel has faced before, on this scale.

No doubt this is Iran testing the air defense systems' limits...


Trump weighs in...

‘America supports Israel’: Trump

The former US president has hit out at Biden over the Iranian attack on Israel.

“ISRAEL IS UNDER ATTACK! This should never have been allowed to happen – This would NEVER have happened if I were President!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

“AMERICA SUPPORTS ISRAEL!”


US commitment to Israel’s security remains ‘ironclad’: Biden

US President Joe Biden has said in a post on X that he has met with his national security team for an update on Iran’s attacks on Israel.



Had you reigned in your supposed 'ally' it would never have gotten this far.


Ready to go to war

Bipartisan US support pours in for Israel

US President Joe Biden as well as top legislators from both major parties have expressed “ironclad” backing of Israel.

“As Israel is under attack from Iran, we stand with Israel and its people, and the United States will do everything we can to support Israel’s defense against Iran,” Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a social media post.

Hawkish Republican Senator Tom Cotton called on Washington to “back Israel to the hilt”.

While many US lawmakers condemned the attack, none of them have mentioned the context of the escalation. Unlike many of its Arab and international allies, the US did not condemn the deadly Israeli air raid on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1.



Let me guess, if this further escalates it all started on April 13th with an unprovoked terrorist attack from Iran


IRGC says any threat from US will be met with response

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards are saying that “any threat by the United States and the Zionist regime originating from any country will result in a proportional and reciprocal response from Iran towards the origin of the threat”.

This statement, carried on Iranian national television, comes hours after Iran launched dozens of ballistic missiles and drones against Israeli targets.

I don't think any of the parties in this continuously escalating Middle East situation know the definition of proportional...


Israel says Iranian attack only caused ‘minor damage’ to base

Daniel Hagari, the spokesperson for the Israeli military, has said that Iran launched more than 200 projectiles at Israel and that the “vast majority” of them have been intercepted with air defence systems and assistance from “partners”.

“A number of Iranian missiles fell inside Israeli territory, causing minor damage to a military base with no casualties. Only one little girl has been hurt, and we hope she will be well,” he said.

Hagari, however, stressed that the attack is ongoing and said the Israeli military is “operating at full force” to fend it off.


Biden ‘must demand’ de-escalation from Israel: US Muslim group

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has responded to the hostilities between Israel and Iran, saying that Americans do not support “the Israeli government’s transparent attempt to drag” their country into another “doomed and unnecessary” war in the Middle East.

“Enough is enough,” CAIR said in a statement. “The Biden administration must demand that [the] Israeli government de-escalate the ongoing crisis and stop violating international law.”



If only Biden was smart enough to see the obvious trap Netanyahu has had him walk into.


Israeli citizens don't sound all that concerned

Video shows air defense interceptions over Israeli parliament




Israel already working on escalating further. They must have had the letter ready for a while.

Israel’s UN envoy requests emergency Security Council meeting

Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan has written to the president of the Security Council formally requesting an emergency meeting on Iran’s drone strikes against Israel.

“The Iranian attack is a serious threat to global peace and security and I expect the Council to use every means to take concrete action against Iran,” Erdan said in the letter.


UNSC to meet on Sunday afternoon

The UN Security Council (UNSC) will hold an emergency meeting at 4pm New York time (20:00 GMT) on Sunday, the council’s current president, Malta, has said. The meeting was scheduled shortly after a formal request from Israel’s UN envoy for an emergency meeting on Iran’s drone strikes against Israel.

What does Article 51 of UN Charter, cited by Iran, say?

Iran has invoked Article 51 of the UN Charter to justify its attack on Israel. The provision grants countries the right to self-defence if they come under attack.

Iran has argued that the deadly Israeli air strike on Tehran’s consulate in Damascus constitutes a direct attack on the country’s sovereignty.

Here’s what Article 51 says:

“Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security. Measures taken by Members in the exercise of this right of self-defence shall be immediately reported to the Security Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility of the Security Council under the present Charter to take at any time such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore international peace and security.”


In letter to UN, Iran says it is not seeking escalation

In a letter addressed to UN chief Antonio Guterres and Security Council President Vanessa Frazier, Tehran has emphasised that its attack on Israel is a legal and justified act of self-defence against Israeli “aggressions”.

The Iranian mission to the UN decried the Security Council’s failure to condemn the deadly Israeli air raid on the country’s consulate in Damascus on April 1.

“As a responsible member of the United Nations, Islamic Republic of Iran is committed to the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and international law and reiterates its consistent position that it does not seek escalation or conflict in the region,” the letter said.

Still, Iran warned that it will defend its people and interests against any threats.





US rights group renews call for Gaza ceasefire

Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) has urged the US to avoid taking any military action that would further involve American troops in “in unauthorized and dangerous fighting” in the Middle East.

“The Biden Administration should call on Israel to immediately announce a ceasefire in Gaza and to refrain from using US weapons in any further unlawful attacks against other countries’ embassies and diplomatic facilities,” the group said in a statement.



Israelis no longer need to stay near bomb shelters

There has been a downgrading of the Home Front Command’s alert level for Israelis around the country, telling them they no longer have to be around shelters. The Home Front Command is essentially saying the immediate danger has passed, for the moment.

This attack has been a test of Israel’s air defence capabilities and it seems to have passed that test pretty conclusively with the help of the US, the UK, France and Jordan. Israel has shot down the vast majority of more than 200 drones and missiles that were launched against it.



Iran on high alert for possible Israeli response

Iranian officials have said their response to Israel’s attack on their Damascus consulate will be precise and limited. And that is what we have seen this evening in the operation dubbed “True Promise” by the Revolutionary Guard.

I think we’ve seen the worst of what was to come from Iran. It’s certainly not a full-on attack. And certainly a show of what Iran is capable of. These are scenes we’ve never seen before – Iranian ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones launched at Israel.

According to state TV, the Iranian projectiles hit military targets successfully, but that, of course, has been disputed by Israel.

Now, we begin the next phase of this saga. That is what the Israeli response will be. And for that reason, the Revolutionary Guard remains on high alert and has issued words of warning to Israel.

We heard a commander on state TV saying that any kind of response from Israel will be met [with] a harsher response. For now, Iranians are waiting to see what Israel will do and whether… they will be able to maintain this conflict where it currently stands without escalating things further.