Iran launched a huge missile and drone attack on Israel recently. It was much bigger than anyone expected. Here are the key points:
- Over 300 missiles and drones were fired at Israel by Iran
- The massive scale of the attack surprised U.S. and Israeli officials
- It was the first direct attack on Israel by Iran, not using proxies
- Israel’s defenses prevented major damage by intercepting many missiles
- But there were still casualties and widespread destruction in some areas
Why was this Iranian missile attack such a big deal? And how did it catch everyone off guard? Let’s take a closer look.
Shocking Scale of the Attack
Retired U.S. General Jack Keane called the number of missiles and drones Iran fired at Israel “stunning.” Iran had never directly attacked Israel on this scale before.
Usually, Iran uses terrorist groups like Hezbollah as proxies to strike at Israel indirectly. But this time, Iran’s forces launched a massive bombardment from inside Iran.
Keane said, “No one anticipated the scale of this attack that would exceed 300-plus missiles and drones.” Even as reports came in about 30 missiles, then 60, U.S. and Israeli officials didn’t expect over 120 ballistic missiles.
Israel’s Defense Systems Tested
Thankfully, Israel’s advanced multi-layered missile defense system intercepted many of the incoming projectiles. The Iron Dome, Arrow, and other systems prevented far worse damage and loss of life.
Still, some missiles got through. There was widespread property damage and several civilian casualties in Israeli cities hit by the strikes that made it past the defenses.
Gen. Keane credited both the Israeli military’s defense capabilities and coordination with U.S. forces in the region for limiting the devastating impacts of Iran’s massive attack.
Intelligence Failure Fallout
In the aftermath, Israel’s military intelligence chief resigned over failure to adequately warn of the looming Iranian attack ahead of time.
There were reportedly some vague long-range indicators of Iran plotting a big strike over a year ago. But Israeli agencies discounted the threats, not believing terrorist groups had that capability.
Egyptian officials also apparently provided a more direct warning that a major attack was imminent. But the severity and scale of what Iran had planned still caught Israel completely by surprise.
An investigation is underway into what exactly was missed and why Israeli defense forces were so unprepared for how huge and aggressive Iran’s missile bombardment turned out to be.
Continued Tensions and Accountability
Tensions remain extremely high between the long-standing adversaries Iran and Israel following these events. Many expect harsh retaliation by Israel for the audacious and costly Iranian attack on its homeland.
Within Israel, there is also mounting public anger and calls for Prime Minister Netanyahu to resign over his government’s and military leadership’s lack of readiness.
While supporting the defensive military operations so far, many Israelis want accountability for the failure to prevent initial surprise and civilian casualties from Iran’s missile onslaught.
Only time will tell how this latest eruption of violence between Iran and Israel willย be resolved. But one thing is clear – the sheer, unexpected scale of Iran’s attack has dramatically raised the stakes in this decades-old conflict.
What do you think will happen next in this dangerous situation? How can leaders on both sides prevent further escalation and loss of innocent lives?
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Photo credit: Pixabay
