Iran’s first direct attack on Israel shot down; Biden policies blamed

: World Tribune; 14 April 2024; Hits: 68

by WorldTribune Staff, April 14, 2024

Iran on Saturday carried out its first direct attack on Israel, launching more than 300 drones and missiles in retaliation for Israel's alleged assassination of several top Iranian military leaders.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that 99 percent of Iran’s drones and cruise missiles were downed en route. Several ballistic missiles reached Israeli airspace, but caused only minor infrastructure damage at the Nevatim Air Force base, the IDF said.

IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari in a press conference said the projectiles deployed by Iran had a combined 60 tons of explosives, which “could cause tremendous damage.”

Hagari said Iran “initiated an attack against Israel, launching over 300 threats of various types. The Iranian threat met the aerial and technological superiority of the IDF, along with a strong fighting coalition – which together intercepted the overwhelming majority of the threats. 99% of the threats launched towards Israeli territory were intercepted – a very significant strategic achievement.”

Of approximately 170 drones that Iran launched, zero crossed into Israeli territory, Hagari said. “Dozens of them were intercepted by Israeli Air Force fighter jets, our Aerial Defense Array, and the aerial defense systems and aircraft of our partners.”

“From the more than 30 cruise missiles Iran launched, none crossed into Israeli territory. 25 of them were intercepted by IAF fighter jets outside the country’s borders,” Hagari said. “Out of over 120 ballistic missiles, only a few crossed into Israeli territory, with the rest being intercepted. These fell at the Nevatim Air Force Base, causing only minor damage to infrastructure. The base is operational and continues to carry out its missions.”

Iran had the capacity to launch such an attack in large part due to Biden Administration policies, critics said.

Morgan Ortagus, former Trump State Department press secretary, said in a post on X on Saturday: “Reminder: “Biden allowed the UN sanctions on Iran’s drones and ballistic missiles to expire less than six months ago. The very same drones and missiles en route to Israel right now.”

Former Deputy Director of National Intelligence Cliff Simms posted on X: “Biden reversed all the Trump policies that made Iran weaker and poorer. Now they’re spending the money Biden gave them attacking Israel, terrorizing the world and threatening to plunge us into WWIII.”

During a rally in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania, Donald Trump said “the weakness that we've shown is unbelievable. It would not have happened if we were in office.”

The Times of Israel reported that a senior Biden Administration official was careful not to say that the U.S. opposes an Israeli military response to Iran’s attack. However, the officials stressed in a briefing with reporters that the U.S. would not join Israel in such a strike.

“Israel has made clear to us that they’re not looking for a significant escalation with Iran. They’re looking to protect themselves and defend themselves,” the senior administration official said.

U.S. lawmakers appeared divided on the proper response to Iran’s attack on Israel.

Republican Sens. John Kennedy of Louisiana and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina called for a strong and swift response to the attack, which Iran said were carried out in retaliation for a suspected Israel strike on an Iranian diplomatic building in Syria in early April that killed the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force.

“If we turn the other cheek to them, we’re going to get it in the neck,” Mr. Kennedy said during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday.”

“We need to stand with Israel. It’s very clear. We’re not at war with Hamas, or Hezbollah or Yemen. Those are all surrogates for Iran. Those are … prostitutes, the pimp is Iran. Israel is at war with Iran,” Kennedy said. “Iran hates Americans. Iran hates Jews, Iran wants to kill Americans and Jews.”

Graham wrote in a post on X, “It is long past time for the Iranian regime to pay a heavy price.”

Ohio Republican Sen. JD Vance said “I certainly think there is a real fear of escalation,” but he blamed the attack on weak deterrence measures by the United States.

“I think if we want to reestablish deterrence, the most important thing is not how we or Israel respond to this attack. It’s how we focus in the long term on rebuilding our country,” Vance said. “People aren’t worried that we’re not thumping our chest enough. I know that’s the John Bolton response to this.”