Iran Strikes Israel: Analysis, Impact, and Future Implications
Watan-Political analyst Nasser Al-Duwaila commented on the attack carried out by Iran on Israel in response to the bombing of its consulate in the Syrian capital, Damascus.
Al-Duwaila said in a post on his “X” platform account: “The limited Iranian operation has ended and it will be absorbed by Israel and America, and there will be no direct response against Iranian territory.”
He added that Iran had refrained from using the airspace of Gulf states, which had committed to taking a neutral stance. He explained that the casualties in Israel were very limited, and that the Iranian strike was less than what missiles from the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, had caused.
He continued: “If life returns to normal in Israel tomorrow, this is not a war but a limited agreed-upon response, but if things escalate to an open war, Israel will lose this war because it is in its weakest state.”
He pointed out that Iran had informed the United States of the limited nature and timing of its response, so Israel had asked protesters in Tel Aviv to leave quickly two hours before the strike began.
He noted that the Iranian strike ended with minor injuries and the deaths of three Jordanians.
العملية الايرانيه المحدودة انتهت و ستبلعها اسرائيل و امريكا و لن يكون هناك رد مباشر ضد الاراضي الايرانيه .
التزمت ايران بعدم استخدام اجواء دول الخليج و التزمت دول الخليج موقف محايد .
الاصابات في اسرائيل محدودة جدا و اقل مما تسببه صواريخ القسام .
اذا عادت الحياة في اسرائيل الى…— ناصر الدويلة (@nasser_duwailah) April 14, 2024
Iran executes its attack on Israel
Iran launched its anticipated attack on Israel on Saturday evening in response to the bombing of its consulate in the Syrian capital, Damascus, at the beginning of April.
The Revolutionary Guard announced that it carried out an operation with drones and missiles in response to the bombing of the Iranian consulate in Syria, describing it as a “crime by the Zionist entity.”
#شاهد| صراخ المستوطنين خوفا بعد وصول الصواريخ الايرانية pic.twitter.com/j0v60fNrAC
— وطن. يغرد خارج السرب (@watanserb_news) April 14, 2024
The Revolutionary Guard indicated that the operation was carried out with dozens of missiles and drones to strike specific targets in the occupied territories.
In context, Iran stated that half of the missiles launched towards Israel successfully hit their targets, while the Israeli army claimed to have intercepted 99% of the drones and missiles targeting them.
Iran’s official IRNA agency said that half of the missiles launched towards Israel hit their targets successfully, and added that Iranian forces successfully targeted an Israeli airbase in the Negev using “Khyber” missiles.
It pointed out that this base was the launching point for the attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.
Destruction of important Israeli military sites
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Commander General Hussein Salami stated that Iranian missiles and drones managed to penetrate Israeli air defenses and confirmed that the Iranian attack led to the destruction of two important Israeli military sites.
Salami emphasized that the Iranian attack has ended and there is no desire to continue it, but his country will respond forcefully if Israel targets its interests, explaining that if Washington participates in any attack against Iran, its bases in the region will be targeted and will not be safe.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander also noted that Israel had crossed red lines by targeting the Iranian consulate in Syria, and it was necessary to respond to it.
#شاهد| الدفاعات الجوية الإسرائيلية تحاول التصدي للصواريخ الإيرانية. pic.twitter.com/1CiRPeP3D0
— وطن. يغرد خارج السرب (@watanserb_news) April 14, 2024
Israeli army claims to thwart the Iranian attack
In contrast, the Israeli army claimed to have thwarted the Iranian attack, alleging to have intercepted 99% of the drones and missiles targeting Israel, describing it as a “significant strategic achievement.”
The army explained in a statement that Iran “launched more than 300 threats of various kinds, including ballistic missiles, drones, and cruise missiles.”
It confirmed that out of more than 120 ballistic missiles, only a very small number crossed into Israeli territory, falling on an air force base in Nevatim (in the south) and causing minor damage to a facility, according to the statement.
