Iran said it launched dozens of drones and ballistic missiles towards Israel on Saturday in a major attack following days of acute tension building up in the region and warnings from the US and elsewhere about a wider conflict erupting.
Air attack warning sirens began wailing over Jerusalem just before 2am local time on Sunday after the weapons were fired a few hours earlier from Iran with US and Jordanian military assisting Israel’s air defenses in intercepting the first incoming barrage.
With weapons believed to be still in the air en route to Israel, Iran’s mission to the United Nations posted on X: “Iran’s military action was in response to the Zionist regime’s aggression against our diplomatic premises in Damascus. The matter can be deemed concluded.”
However, it threatened more severe action in the face of further Israeli aggression and warned the US and Jordan specifically not to assist Israel.
Edit: here are links to the NYT and BBC live feeds.
Edit 2: updated summary and archive to reflect article changes.
When did I say it has no relation?
It’s related, but it’s an excuse for what Iran really wants. Similarly Iran does not really care about the Palestinians beyond their usefulness as a grudging pawn.
A proportional response from Iran would have been more rockets from Hezbollah, Hamas, or the Houthis. Or maybe a very limited drone attack on a specific target.
A response like this on the part of Iran is disproportionate, so there must be another motive. Iran isn’t so stupid as to think Israel won’t bomb the shit out of them, thus Iran must want to be bombed.
The only reason I can think of for Iran to want to be bombed is to quell their internal troubles. It feels like every other week another woman without a hijab is killed, or disappeared, or beat to shit, and every other month another protester is executed by the state. There is unrest in Iran, people are getting tired of the theocratic bullshit. So what better time to need an external threat?
Iran’s long-running narrative against israel, painting them as their great satan, could use a refresh, and what better way than to have israeli bombs fall on iran?