Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defin said in televised remarks on Friday that Iran had launched more than 100 drones and that Israel’s air defenses were already “working to intercept the threats.”
The U.S. was not involved in Israel’s strikes, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, adding a warning that “Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.”
Israeli media said the first Iranian drones were expected to reach the country’s airspace around noon local time, which would be about 4 a.m. Eastern, but the IDF confirmed it was already targeting approaching drones outside Israeli airspace amid reports of air raid sirens and possible interceptions in Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
Israel has intercepted virtually every Iranian weapon launched in previous large-scale attacks by the Islamic republic. The retaliatory action by Iran was long anticipated and well planned for, Defin said.
