Iran has launched dozens of drones and missiles at Israel, according to Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The IRGC said on Saturday that it has released the drones and missiles under the operation “True Promise”, adding that the move is part of the punishment for “Israeli crimes”.
Here is the map between Iran and Israel and neighbouring countries
Syria put on high alert its Russian-made Pantsir ground-to-air defence systems around the capital Damascus and major bases in the event of an Israeli strike, army sources told the Reuters news agency.
Meanwhile, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Israel announced that they closed their airspace.
The development comes nearly two weeks after an Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria killed seven IRGC members.
“Iran launched UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] from its territory towards the territory of the state of Israel,” Israel’s army’s spokesman, Daniel Hagari, said late on Saturday.
More clear map of Israel Iran border
“We are on high alert and readiness,” he added in a televised address, saying the drones would take several hours before reaching Israel’s airspace.
Israel has been on heightened alert since its strike on Damascus on April 1, even though it did not comment on the attack. Iran pledged revenge and a retaliatory attack had been expected.
President Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel was prepared for a “direct attack from Iran”.
Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant said Israel was “closely monitoring a planned attack” against it by Iran and its allies in the region.
