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© Thomson Reuters 2024.Iran launches drone attack at Israel
By Dan Williams and Parisa Hafezi JERUSALEM/DUBAI©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.
64 Comments
wallace
Iran has never attacked Israel directly. It is the first time in history. An escalation of the Middle East situation.
UChosePoorly
Markets priced the attack in on Friday. If it is underwhelming, there will probably be a bounce, but I guess we shall see on Monday.
buchailldana
I wonder who will Nethanyahu target next in his search for "peace"
Chabbawanga
Under international law Iran had the right to defend itself. Israel knows this. They have been preaching about it for the past 6 months.
The ball is now in Israels court. Iran has stated that they will launch no further attacks. Imo its time for Israel to sit down.
UChosePoorly
AS - I want Israelis to stay out of the West Bank and Gaza so that the Palestinians can have their own state, in case you were wondering.
dagon
Not making excuses for the current fanatical mullahs but the origin of Iranian extremism is yet again a US instigated coup to remove a democratic socialist, Mossadegh, who wanted to end the exploitation of his nations oil . Replacing him with a murderous, foreign investment friendly Shah.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781405198073.wbierp0769
It is just history.
Tamarama
Well, Israel can't expect to attack Iranian targets with impunity, so this feels inevitable.
The US has also been doing 'rounds of diplomacy' in the region, telling various groups to stay out of the conflict, whilst they themselves have been striking whomever they please. Talk about epic hypocrisy - the same kind of hypocrisy that they have been conducting themselves with in that region for decades and decades and has resulted in deeply engrained resentment towards them in the Middle East.
The only question now is how far does this go? Israel has very few friends in that region, and their recent genocide in Gaza has only thinning the small list out further. Armageddon is a religious concept, but if the gloves really come off here, this could get very, very ugly indeed.
englisc aspyrgend
Looks like the only missile they have with the range to reach Israel from Iranian territory is the Shahab3, range of about 1,242 miles so easily within range but how smart/stealthy is not available nor its accuracy.
Fighto!
Before the pro-Iranians get too excited, I doubt many of these drones will hit any dedicated target before being destroyed.
This drone "attack" - if one can call it that- is Iran trying to appear to be doing something in the eyes of Iranians.
Chabbawanga
If Iran bombed the Israeli embassy in the US, what would happen? The double standards have reached breaking point. Israel knew exactly what would happen. They need the US to remain focused on Israel, but global support for their actions in Gaza and the West Bank have reached all time lows.
englisc aspyrgend
If Ukraine can shoot down these Iranian drones I am sure Israel will manage, they have less of a “front” to cover and already know they are coming. Plenty of time to track and prepare.
UChosePoorly
I agree with you Chabbawanga, especially if this event spills relatively little innocent blood.
If Iran has the right to retaliate for its people being killed in a third country (Syria), then I would have to give that right to other countries as well.
wallace
When he was in office, Trump threatened to attack Iran.
UChosePoorly
And I am not condemning Iran's action here. I get it, I suppose, in this context.
itsonlyrocknroll
Clearly the Government of Israel is fully prepared for a retaliatory strike.
The US government will support the Government of Israel, its people, unconditionally.
If a push comes to a shove, if war in the middle east becomes inevitable, at the moment unlikely, however never take what is stated in public at face value, Iran could be subjected to a prolonged tactical and strategic bombardment.
The war in Iraq will pale in insignificance.
UChosePoorly
Agree with you, Mr. Kipling!
UChosePoorly
Ukraine has been getting barrages like this every day lately. Israel will be ok.
N. Knight
The Shah was there all along, he was not a replacement.
The coups origins were instigated by Britain and became a partnership project between Churchill & Eisenhower.
To suggest Mosaddegh was an advocate of democracy is a bit of a stretch. And he was already a dictator when he was overthrown.
The overthrow could never have happened if it wasn't for a large proportion of Iranians supporting Britian, plus many of Mosaddegh's own people turning against him as they could see that he had become a nutcase dictator.
If you think that Iran would not have gone down the same path even sooner without the coup, then I think you're mistaken.
You're correct though that the Shah who reclaimed his power was most definitely "murderous, foreign investment friendly".
TaiwanIsNotChina
Remember how people p&m'd about how the US doesn't respect people's territory? Guess it is different when it is your favorite terrorist supporting country doing it.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Countries have a responsibility to live in the present and not be revolutionary little sh*ts their whole lives. This is a fact!!!
Mr Kipling
Let us hope that this is a "coordinated" attack that saves face and does no real damage. Like the Sulimani revenge on the US base in Iraq. We don't need a major world conflict at the moment as much as I would like to see the end of the Zionist regime.
UChosePoorly
It wasn't the Iranian Embassy that was attacked, which indeed would have been Iranian soil. It was right next door on Syrian soil. And I don't need to tell you what happens when the US is attacked, but Israel and Iran would make Iran wish they hadn't in your unlikely hypothetical.
Israel has been attacked from Lebanese and Syrian soil, and now from Iranian soil. They will probably respond to this, but I hope they don't.
obladi
Israel attacked Iranians at their Embassy in Damascus, Syria. This had to provoke an escalation. I hope that it was worth it. If this whole thing blows up, there might not be a way to stop an all-out war involving the U.S.
2020hindsights
Antiquesaving
And yet the US isn't interfering and not repeating the same mistakes!
stormcrow
Netanyahu has been dying for a reason to attack Iran directly, especially the nuclear facilities there. This just might be the justification it’s been waiting for.
Hello Kitty 321
This is not an escalation, this is a response. The escalation was the Israelis bombing the Iranian Embassy.
travelbangaijin
It should be apparent that this is a "swarm attack" in waves - send the drones, the ballistic missiles, then hypersonic and more advanced missiles - if someone think Iran was just going to send a few dozen drones and call it a day, I hope they prepared for the yen shock when the markets open.
Politik Kills
America will be on the wrong side of history if they back Israel even more. Rather than trying to mediate, naturally the greatest warmongers want to choose a side. This is Israel’s responsibility, they started it, let them try to finish it (with Iran that is).
travelbangaijin
Russian "swarm warfare" is to send in a swarm of low-value projectiles to trigger air defense and bring in additional waves of swarms. You are making a premature assumption all Iran have in their arsenal are a few drones - you may have forgotten but Iran shot down an American Global Hawk stealth drone and also show down an MQ-99 another stealth drone that was top secret.
carpslidy
A country currently vomiting genocide versus a totalitarian regime.
dagon
I wonder if the "Iron Dome" manages to destroy all the drones and missiles with no loss of Israeli life there will be no cycle of retaliation and the Iranians will just call it square?
kurisupisu
The Israelis can’t help themselves and won’t hesitate to retaliate and that will up the ante.
Little Israel, with its attack on the Iranian embassy has kicked off what might well be a major conflict.
Tamarama
BBC reports that Iran have launched 'Wave of Ballistic Missiles at Isael'....
sakurasuki
Another cowardice take place, you did it you make a real claim. Not hiding as if nothing really happened.
itsonlyrocknroll
The people of Israel will undoubtably hold Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to account responsible for the underlining failures to protect the people of Israel in office.
The reality today, right now is Iran, Hezbollah, the dangers faced in this war in Gaza creating a roller coaster of direct military confrontation between US and Iran.
President Joe Biden will have little choice where Israel is concerned and any possible pivot away from current middle eastern policy could be detrimental to his presidency, his leadership.
Biden will have to face a wealth of foreign policy challenges that could be decisive in any hope of a second November.
Republicans are politically circling.
UChosePoorly
On a related note - remember when you could drop in on Twitter and get a general sense of the what was happening? Elon jacked that up pretty quickly. I guess you can still trust sports and entertainment on Twitter, but not current events. Too many of the blue check bots spreading disinformation these days.
sakurasuki
Middle east, Latin America etc.
At least for Latin America, now there's consequence in southern border. It can be deny things in the past finally come around.
.
https://www.trtworld.com/americas/the-secret-history-of-us-interventions-in-latin-america-23586
https://www.npr.org/2023/09/10/1193755188/chile-coup-50-years-pinochet-kissinger-human-rights-allende
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/nov/30/henry-kissinger-chile-argentina-south-america
Capuchin
Sounds like Iran plan to overwhelm Israel's iron dome and anti-air defences. I guess Israel will find out how well its defenses work when it's defending against something more than homemade rockets.
Hopefully we don't have another critical defense failure like Oct 7th.
UChosePoorly
If this attack ends up killing a lot of Israeli civilians and we will know soon by the images, it may galvanize support on both sides of the US Congress for the combined Ukraine-Israel aid bill.
nik
America is deflating. This is already obvious. America's allies, please prepare to leave.
bass4funk
Bingo!
kurisupisu
If the US enters the fray then we will all be suffering in the coming weeks and months
sakurasuki
Where's their condemnation for April 1st attack? Attacking foreign embassy is ok with them? Or just another proof their double standard, cherry pick where condemnation should go.
.
https://www.reuters.com/world/un-security-council-should-have-condemned-iran-embassy-attack-syria-irans-un-2024-04-11/
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/menasource/gcc-israel-syria-iran-embassy-strike-escalation/
bass4funk
We know we know, ok, made your point now let’s move on…
So we are just supposed to let our ally and the only democracy in the ME to suffer and give in to the terror attacks from this radical regime?
Yrral
They are already dropping from the skies in Israel,live on ABC in America
bass4funk
Facts that revisiting doesn’t help anyone. What happened, happened.
I do
Why are the mullahs worried about being very close to being out of power?
Yes, it was wrong in hindsight.
No one is disputing this.
No, but like the people that cry about reparations and slavery, how is holding on to the past helping anyone? You can condemn, acknowledge the past atrocity and then you move on.
Mr Goodman
That's nothing compared to what Iran could really do
Mr Goodman
Oh boo hoo cry me a river
And what if those drones were biological weapons ?
Israel has become too arrogant and foolish and only half as prepared as they claim
sakurasuki
It's marketed and supposed to be stealth, how that can be happened? If it were stealth that it shouldn't be targeted and shot down.
Antiquesaving
I previously wrote in a reply to a comment that no country in the region would help Iran, that this was probably true (at least openly), but none of Israel's neighbours would help Israel.
I added that Israel's neighbours may actually quietly try to hinder Israel and or the USA in any retaliation if Iran attacked Israel!
Well apparently every middle East state where the USA has military bases have quietly informed the USA they will not permit the USA to use the bases or airspace in/of their countries in any attack on Iran if the USA decides to aid Israel.
This includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, etc...
This information came from multiple sources including USA all quietly leaked to different news services.
None not even the USA will put this out directly publicly for diplomatic reasons but "leak" it so Israelis knows the situation and the USA leaders can publicly say they stand ready to help Israel despite the reality!
Remember, all these Arab and Muslim majority states are not pleased by the USA inaction regarding the killing of civilians by Israel public opinion in those countries I'd highly pro Palestinian.
Egypt can refuse access to the Suez canal, and would be under heavy pressure by its population to do so!
So it may be Israel is on its own unless the USA wants to lose its bases across the region!
Antiquesaving
So it seems that my comment wasn't complete!
Seems that even NATO member Turkey has refused the USA request to use it's airspace in possible attack on Iran.
Blacklabel
Well, Biden’s “don’t” strategy really worked well huh?
Yrral
People in Israel get the government they deserve and the hell that goes with,most Americans could care less about Israel reaping what they sowed,if it do impact their lives
bass4funk
Again, Biden is President and why is his geopolitical strategy in shambles?
Well, you never did in the first place so….
I can’t remember a policy that Biden did that wasn’t a geopolitical screwup.
I’m not in power of anything Biden is, so keep the focus on the guy who yells constantly “the buck stops with me” ok and now what?
Yrral
Who cares what Biden says,he cannot even defend his support to Democrats voters, especially when you are insecure
Antiquesaving
You mean like when they were at peace with a democratically elected government and the USA orchestrated s coup to put a USA friendly Shah in power and setting off all the events that has lead to what is happening today?
That kind of peace?
If the USA had kept it's nose out and where it belongs there would be no "crazy mullahs" in power in Iran!
And had Israel respected international laws Iran would not be attacking it right now!
The USA and Israel call themselves democracies but in reality they are bullies, Israel has democracy only for a certain portion of its population with 21% having second class status, the USA version of democracy is one rule for us and the rests we decide who is in power!
Antiquesaving
What excuses?
You mean facts?
Perhaps you should look at history and facts!
Why does Iran have this hardline government?
Because the USA arranged a coup against an elected government it didn't like and put a dictator in its place!
With out that one single thing everything would be different!
That is a fact!
Nice to see the "democracy" you claim easily dismissed when it suits you and justifying ethnic oppression!
Mr Goodman
The USA military plans to have a military base on the Gaza Strip
Yrral
The reason the US usually get in conflict,is because a bunch of big mouths American idle threats do not work anymore
Antiquesaving
Yes it does! Because not doing so let's the USA repeat the same mistakes again!
Apparently they are by saying "it is the past no point in revisiting it" and cheering on the USA to again interfere and repeat the same mistakes!
zibala
Iran launches drone attack at Israel
Israel. is ready, Iran has been attacking Israel for years, and so have other countries in the area.
As Netanyahu says, Whoever hurts Israel, we hurt them.
bass4funk
What?
I think you need to fast forward.
So now you’re making excuses would’ve could’ve should’ve?
Interesting, so Israel should just sit back, have their people butchered and just remain calm and do nothing, just take it, right? The Sunni nations are awfully silent tonight.
For defending themselves? Yes, we are democracies, no stoning, we don’t throw gays off rooftops, no beheadings, women can wear what they want, marry whomever they want, don’t need to coverup, can say whatever they want. Pushing anyone to do these things are worse than being called a bully.
And there are a multitude of reasons for that.
Ok, calm down, but if you have to choose between US, Iran (so called) democracy, which do you choose?
bass4funk
I feel sorry for the good people in Iran for what’s about to come. Once these crazy mullahs are out of power the nation of Iran can become a nation of peace.
No, they’re not and the U.S. will always back Israel.
Are you kidding me??!!! 2000 years of conflict and you think the U.S. can successfully mediate any of this? Sorry, but history is not on your side.
No, Hamas started it when they parachuted into a camp with hundreds of young people dancing and partying and massacred hundreds of them.