Watchman Newsletter

How Israel May Respond to the Iran Attack

Time (Link) - Anna Gordon (April 15, 2024)

Israel’s leaders met today during a war cabinet meeting to discuss the country’s response after Iran launched a combination of 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles, and 120 ballistic missiles towards Israeli soil in the early hours of Sunday morning. It was the first time the Islamic Republic, long hostile to the Israeli state, directly attacked Israel after decades of proxy conflict.

Iran says that its attack was launched in response to an Israeli strike Apr. 1 on an Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, which killed a senior individual in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards along with eight other officers. So far, Iran’s attack seems to have caused minimal damage. No deaths have been reported, though one 7-year-old appears to be in life threatening condition after shrapnel from an intercepted Iranian missile fell directly on her home.

Israel had support from American, British, and French partners who helped it thwart “99% of Iranian aerial threats,” IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said. Jordan also intercepted some of the Iranian projectiles that flew over its territory, despite fiercely criticizing Israel’s war in Gaza, which has killed at least 33,00 people including 13,000 children.

Iran says it gave warning before attacking Israel. US says that's not true

The Jerusalem Post (Link) - Reuters (April 15, 2024)

Turkish, Jordanian and Iraqi officials said on Sunday that Iran gave wide notice days before its drone and missile attack on Israel, but US officials said Tehran did not warn Washington and that it was aiming to cause significant damage.

Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles on Saturday in a retaliatory strike after a suspected Israeli strike on its embassy compound in Syria.

Most of the drones and missiles were downed before reaching Israeli territory, though a young girl was critically injured and there were widespread concerns of further escalation.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Sunday that Iran gave neighboring countries and Israel's ally the United States 72 hours' notice it would launch the strikes.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry said it had spoken to both Washington and Tehran before the attack, adding it had conveyed messages as an intermediary to be sure reactions were proportionate.

Gantz: Israel will respond when time is right, must continue to strengthen regional alliances after successful defense against Iran

The Times of Israel (Link) - Sam Sokol (April 14, 2024)

Israel must strengthen the “strategic alliance and the regional cooperation” that allowed it to weather yesterday’s Iranian attack, war cabinet Minister Benny Gantz declares in a statement.

“Iran is a global problem, it is a regional challenge and it is also a danger to Israel, and yesterday, the world clearly stood together with Israel in the face of the danger. Israel against Iran, the world against Iran – this is the result. This is a strategic achievement, which we must leverage for Israel’s security,” he says.

“This event is not over – the strategic alliance and the regional cooperation system that we built and stood its significant test need to be strengthened precisely now. Israel proved yesterday that it is an anchor of military and technological power, and an anchor of security in the Middle East,” he continues. 

“Faced with the threat of Iran – we will build a regional coalition and exact the price from Iran, in the way and at the time that suits us. And most importantly – in the face of the desire of our enemies to harm us, we will unite and become stronger,” Gantz adds, seemingly indicating that he does not support immediate retaliation against Iran itself.

“Even today, we must remember that we have not yet completed our tasks – primarily the return of the hostages and the removal of the threat against the residents of the north and south. We will continue the campaign, with determination and responsibility. And together – we will win.” †