Iran has launched more than 100 drones toward Israel in retaliation for the Jewish state’s latest effort to destroy Tehran’s nuclear program through a wave of preemptive airstrikes.
“In recent hours, Iran has launched more than 100 drones toward Israeli territory,” IDF spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin confirmed Friday. “We are working to intercept the threats.”
The Israeli military has already started to shoot down some of the drones outside of Israeli territory, an IDF spokesman told CNN.
“The IDF has begun intercepting UAVs fired from Iran, outside of Israeli territory,” the official said.
The retaliation attack by Tehran comes after Israel’s Operation “Rising Lion” targeted several sites across the Iranian capital to dismantle the country’s nuclear infrastructure, ballistic missile factories, and military facilities Thursday night.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the mission was carried out to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and ensure the “survival” of Israel after “decades” of Iranian leadership, “brazenly” calling for his country’s destruction.
“We can’t leave these threats for the next generation,” Netanyahu said during an address shared on YouTube.
“Because if we don’t act now, there will not be another generation. If we don’t act now, we simply won’t be here. We have internalized the lessons of history. When an enemy says he intends to destroy you — believe him,” he continued.
“When the enemy develops the capabilities to destroy you — stop him.”
Netanyahu vowed to continue strikes “for as many days as it takes to remove this threat.”
The IDF said that approximately 200 Israeli fighter jets participated in the operation, targeting around 100 sites.
Iranian officials vowed to deliver a quick retaliation in response to the attacks as the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israel “should await a harsh response.”
with Post wires