US and UK warplanes ‘shot down’ Iranian drones as retaliation attack launched | World | News
US and UK military aircraft have reportedly ‘shot down’ Iranian drones in a retaliatory attack, despite Iran’s stern warning. The drones were intercepted over the Iraq-Syria border, according to three American officials who confirmed that the US military had downed an Iranian drone heading towards Israel.
However, the exact number of drones shot down remains uncertain. Reports suggest that RAF jets were deployed in Israel‘s defence.
A leading Israeli news programme reported sightings of US and British warplanes shooting down the Iranian drones as they traversed the Iraq-Syria border. This comes as Iran launched a barrage of unmanned drones towards Israel this afternoon, escalating tensions and sparking fears of World War 3.
Both Israel and Jordan reportedly closed their airspace after the IDF spotted an aircraft flying over Iraq. The attack is anticipated to last several hours before reaching Israel.
Sky News reported that sirens started sounding in five areas of Israel around 6.47 pm, as per the country’s military. The IDF claimed in a Telegram post that sirens were triggered in southern Israel, the Shomron area, the Dead Sea region, Jerusalem, and northern Israel, reports the Mirror.
Additionally, journalists on the scene reported hearing explosions in Jerusalem. Military analyst Sean Bell commented on Iran’s attack, suggesting that while further escalation is possible, key players in the region are not seeking a broader conflict.
Noting that tensions with Hezbollah have managed to leave control in recent months despite retaliation from both sides, a source disclosed: “We have seen several times over the last few months with opportunities that Israel has attacked Hezbollah and they have responded and we thought that would get out of control, but it hasn’t,” in an interview with Sky News.
The volatile situation follows an attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), which resulted in the killing of 16 senior military leaders. This event has fueled Tehran’s vow of revenge against Israel, with tensions escalating due to the concerned efforts of Washington and its associates to douse the fiery conflict.
Worries surrounding the outbreak of a third world war have been inflamed by Iran’s outspoken critique of Israel‘s occupation of Gaza – an unsettling discord in an already precarious Middle East situation.
As anticipation for inevitable air strikes intensifies, IDF has urged inhabitants of select areas to seek refuge in “protective spaces”, awaiting further instructions. In areas such as the northern Golan Heights, Nevatim, Dimona, and Eilat, residents were guided via Telegram post by Israel‘s military to do the same.
“Upon the activation of sirens, it is required to enter into a protected space,” they directed, “If there is no protected space, it is required to find the most protected area possible. In any case, it is required to wait ten minutes, and no less.”
