Iran has launched dozens of drones and missiles towards Israel in an attack that may trigger a major escalation between the regional archenemies.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) says it will take hours before the drones enter Israeli airspace.
Iran has been threatening a retaliatory attack on Israel after several of its military leaders were killed in a drone strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus at the start of this month.
Israel had put its military on high alert and called off school trips and other youth activities in preparation.
A number of drones were seen flying from the direction of Iran over Iraq’s Sulaymaniyah province, three security sources told Reuters on Saturday.
“Dozens of drones were spotted flying from Iran in the direction of Israel over Iraqi airspace,” two Iraqi security sources also told Reuters.
Jordan’s air defences were ready to intercept and shoot down any Iranian drones or aircraft that violate its airspace, two regional security sources said, adding the army was also in a state of high alert and radar systems were monitoring drone activity.
The United States confirmed Iran began an airborne attack against Israel and said it is likely to unfold over a number of hours.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country’s “defensive systems are deployed; we are ready for any scenario, both defensively and offensively.”
“We have determined a clear principle: Whoever harms us, we will harm them. We will defend ourselves against any threat and will do so level-headedly and with determination,” he told people in a video message.
He also thanked the US for “standing alongside Israel, as well as the support of Britain, France and many other countries.”
US President Joe Biden, who on Friday warned Iran against attacking Israel after saying such a scenario appeared imminent, has pledged to stand with Israel against Iran, the White House said.
Explosives-laden drones
Israel’s top-rated Channel 12 TV reported that Iran had launched a total of around 100 drones and cruise missiles at Israeli targets and that some were shot down over Syria or Jordan.
The Israeli military said Iran launched more than 100 explosives-laden drones at Israel since Saturday but declined to immediately confirm media reports that cruise missiles were also part of the salvo.
A retired Israeli general, Amos Yadlin, told the Channel that the Iranian drones were equipped with 20kg (44 pounds) of explosives each.
Mr Netanyahu convened the Israeli war cabinet at military headquarters in Tel Aviv, his office said early on Sunday.
Airspaces shut down
Iraq also announced shutting down its airspace and suspending all air traffic on Saturday, Iraq’s transport ministry told the country’s state-owned news agency.
Jordan closed down its airspace ahead of the attack to all incoming, departing and transit aircraft, state-owned Al-Mamlaka news said on Saturday, leading to many people being stuck at the airport.
Residents in several cities in the northern part of the country near Syria and central and southern areas heard heavy aerial activity. A security source said the country’s air force was intensifying reconnaissance flights.
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