Iran has launched more than 100 unmanned aerial vehicles toward Israel, IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effi Defrin said Friday morning, later announcing that all were intercepted outside Israeli airspace.
The attack marked a major escalation in regional tensions following the start of Israel's Operation Rising Lion targeting Iran’s nuclear program.
Footage circulating on Arabic-language social media showing Iranian drones en route to Israel
Videos shared in Arab media appeared to show some of the drones being launched from Iraq. An Israeli security source said that Iran had planned a joint assault using both ground-to-ground missiles and drones, but that preliminary strikes by the Israeli Air Force disrupted the deployments before missiles could be launched.
While Israel conducted its strike on Iran without direct U.S. military involvement, officials told Ynet that the United States later assisted with the drone interceptions. Officials assessed early Friday that the U.S. would likely be first to offer support, followed by other coalition partners. Ultimately, Washington did not leave Israel to defend itself alone.
According to the IDF, more than 200 Israeli fighter jets participated in the strikes, guided by military intelligence, hitting locations hiding senior figures in Iran’s military command. Among those reportedly killed were Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Hossein Bagheri and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Hossein Salami.
“This was a precise, synchronized operation carried out under political directives,” said the IDF spokesperson. “We have been monitoring Iran’s activities for years. The regime possesses thousands of ballistic missiles and continues to arm itself against Israel. Our goal is defense—IDF remains on high alert.”
A senior IDF official warned that Iran’s response could be severe, possibly involving missiles weighing up to a ton. “This is the price we must pay so our children can live here. What we are doing now is of historic importance,” the official said.
Israeli defense officials estimate the fighting with Iran will last at least two weeks. While the initial Israeli strikes were unilateral, the United States is expected to support Israel’s defense efforts against any Iranian counterattacks and could join further operations if Israeli actions prove effective.
Israeli fighter jets taking off for attack on Iran
(Video: IDF)
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a statement Friday morning declaring that Iran was now on a war footing. In a message to the Iranian public, he accused Israel of striking residential areas and vowed retribution. “The Zionist regime has committed a bloody crime in our beloved land. It must expect a harsh punishment,” Khamenei said.
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The U.S. has positioned significant military assets in the region. The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson recently entered the Indian Ocean via the Strait of Malacca, joining the USS Harry S. Truman, which had already been deployed to the Middle East. Each carrier strike group includes about 90 aircraft and helicopters, and roughly 6,000 personnel.
The Carl Vinson is equipped with F-35C stealth fighters, two squadrons of F/A-18 jets, electronic warfare aircraft, command-and-control planes and MH-60 helicopters. The strike group also includes the missile cruiser USS Princeton and the destroyer USS Stethem. The Harry S. Truman has similar capabilities, along with anti-submarine aircraft and Black Hawk helicopters.
In March, six U.S. B-2 strategic bombers were deployed to Diego Garcia, a remote island in the Indian Ocean. The B-2 “Spirit” bombers, each valued at $1.1 billion, are capable of carrying both nuclear weapons and 12-ton GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs—designed specifically to target fortified underground facilities like Iran’s nuclear sites. Only 19 such bombers exist in the U.S. arsenal.
Additionally, the U.S. has supplied Israel with the advanced THAAD missile defense system, capable of intercepting ballistic threats outside the atmosphere. The first THAAD battery was deployed to Israel in October at Jerusalem’s request, operated by approximately 100 American troops stationed locally, according to U.S. media reports.