Two Israeli officials told Iran International that "Iran's attacks on Israel tonight will not go unanswered," as Israeli, US, UK and Jordanian air forces downed dozens of incoming Iranian drones.
However, the Israeli officials did not specify the nature of the response or its timing.
Israel's military said it was sounding sirens in locations throughout the country early on Sunday, as Iran International’s live broadcast from Israel showed multiple interceptions of incoming projectiles.
Although it was not clear if drones or missiles were being destroyed by multiple Israeli air defense systems, our correspondent believed some anti-missile defenses were also operating at around 2:00 am local time.
Israel's Magen David Adom ambulance service said early on Sunday that it had received no word of any casualties from Iranian drones launched at the country, many of which local media described as having been intercepted.
Jordanian jets downed dozens of Iranian drones flying across northern and central Jordan heading to Israel, two regional security sources told Reuters.
The sources said the drones were brought down in the air on the Jordanian side of the Jordan Valley and were heading in the direction of Jerusalem. Others were intercepted close to the Iraqi-Syrian border. They gave no further details.
Israel plans a "significant response" to the unprecedented Iranian drone salvo against it, top-rated Channel 12 TV quoted an unnamed senior Israeli official as saying early on Sunday.
An Israeli defense official told Army Radio that more than 100 Iranian drones have already been intercepted outside of Israeli airspace, out of hundreds fired at Israel.
The report said the drones were downed by the United States and the United Kingdom. Earlier, the IDF said it had identified more than 100 drones heading toward Israel.
Follow developments on Iran International's Live coverage of ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel.
Earlier on Saturday, in an English-language video statement Daniel Hagari, the chief spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), said, "Iran funds, trains, and arms terror proxies across the Middle East and beyond…Iran will bear the consequences for choosing to escalate the situation any further.” He added that Israel is on high alert, increasing readiness to defend against Iranian aggression and prepared to respond.
The statement by Hagari comes shortly after the IRGC seized an Israeli-linked container ship near Strait of Hormuz today, and reports having surfaced yesterday, notably on ABC News, citing US officials stating that Iran has readied more than 100 cruise missiles for an imminent attack on Israel. Meanwhile, American officials, speaking to CNN, warned of a potential Iranian attack from within its territory with possible involvement of regional proxies in retaliatory strikes, targeting locations in Israel.
International efforts, including those from the United States and supported by European and UK allies, have been focused on de-escalating the situation and maintaining stability in the region.
Earlier today, UK foreign secretary David Cameron announced that he spoke to the Israeli minister and war cabinet member Benny Gantz and discussed “our shared concerns about Iranian threats to attack Israel” with Gantz. “Further escalation in the region is in no one’s interest and risks further loss of civilian life,” he added.
Furthermore, the UK Royal Marines stand ready to coordinate a significant evacuation of British citizens from the Middle East in case of an attack on Israel.
In response to the escalating tensions, yesterday, US President Joe Biden reiterated the his commitment to Israel's security while warning of a confirmed retaliatory attack by Iran “sooner than later.". Meanwhile, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken engaged in discussions with his Jordanian counterpart to address the need to prevent further escalation by Iran. The Pentagon reiterated the US commitment to Israel's security against Iranian threats, echoing President Biden's support for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. The visit of top US general Michael "Erik" Kurilla to Israel was expedited to address current security concerns, while Republican Senator Joni Ernst commended Biden's support for Israel amid tensions with Iran.
Safaei further reports that according to Israel TV Channel 11, even Hamas is waiting to see Tehran's reaction to the killing of IRGC commanders in Damascus. Meanwhile, Iran International's correspondent in Lebanon, May Farhat reports that Lebanon is also closely monitoring the situation and anticipating Iran's response with reports of increased Hezbollah activity along the Lebanon-Syria border, potentially preparing for military operations in line with Iran's retaliation. On the other hand, speaking to Iran International reporters, Fares Souaid, from the “National Council for the Ending Iranian Occupation" in Lebanon, stated that Iran won't escalate tensions further, attributing the situation to Israel's possible reaction suggesting that Iran prefers proxy conflicts over direct confrontation with Israel.
Several countries, including Germany, India, France, Poland, and Russia have responded by issuing travel warnings for citizens in Iran and suspending flights to the region. Germany has advised its citizens to leave Iran immediately.
Although no concrete evidence of an Iranian attack on Israel has been determined so far other than psychological warfare tactics, Israel's heightened alertness underscores the precarious situation in the region, with the specter of conflict looming amidst escalating tensions with Iran.