Israel shot down the “vast majority” of drones and missiles shot at them by Iran after the Jewish state was attacked in a vicious Saturday barrage, officials said.
Iran launched some 300 drones and missiles from within the Islamic Republic — as well as from proxies in Yemen, Iraq, and Lebanon.
The “vast majority” of the missiles were intercepted outside of Israeli air space, the Israeli Defense Forces said in a statement.
The United States came to Israel’s aid and shot down some 70 drones and three ballistic missiles. Little damage was reported. One Israeli military base suffered minor damage and one child was hurt by drone shrapnel.
Nothing of “value” was hit in Israel, President Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, CNN reported, citing White House sources.
“We intercepted, we repelled, together we shall win,” Netanyahu posted on X early Sunday.
An Iranian cleric chants slogans while attending an anti-Israeli gathering at the Felestin (Palestine) Square in Tehran, Iran.
AP
People gather in Tehran, Iran celebrating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ attack on Israel. Getty Images
Israel Defense Forces Spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told The Associated Press, meanwhile: “A wide-scale attack by Iran is a major escalation.”
When asked whether Israel would respond, Hagari responded that the army “does and will do whatever is required to protect the security of the state of Israel.”
People gather in the Iranian capital celebrating Iran’s first-ever direct attack on Israel. Getty Images
A few missiles managed to get through Israeli defenses, he said. Israeli emergency officials confirmed that one strike critically wounded a 7-year-old girl in southern Israel.
But there were no casualties as a direct result of the Iranian strike, according to Magen David Adom [MDA], Israel’s emergency service agency.
Earlier, MDA said a 7-year-old girl was severely injured in southern Israel by shrapnel from an interceptor missile during Iran’s attack.
The agency said it responded to 31 people who were injured seeking shelter or suffering from anxiety.
Another missile struck an army base, causing some damage but no injuries were reported, Hagari said.
US military forces shot down an undisclosed number of Iranian drones, according to officials.
