JERUSALEM -- Booms and air raid sirens sounded across Israel early today after Iran launched hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles in an unprecedented revenge mission that pushed the Middle East ever closer to a regionwide war.
The attack marked the first time Iran has launched a direct military assault on Israel, despite decades of enmity dating back to the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution. Condemnation was swift, with France saying "Iran has crossed a new threshold with regard to its destabilizing activities and is risking a potential military escalation." Britain called the attacks "reckless" and Germany said Iran and its proxies "must stop it immediately."
The Israeli military's spokesperson, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said Iran fired scores of drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles -- with the vast majority intercepted outside Israel's borders. He said warplanes intercepted more than 10 cruise missiles, also outside Israeli airspace.
He said a handful of missiles managed to land in Israel. Rescuers said one strike critically wounded a 7-year-old girl in a Bedouin Arab town in southern Israel, while Hagari said another missile struck an army base, causing light damage but no injuries.
"A wide-scale attack by Iran is a major escalation," Hagari said. Asked whether Israel would respond, Hagari said only that the army "does and will do whatever is required to protect the security of the state of Israel."
Air raid sirens were reported in numerous places, including northern Israel, southern Israel, the northern West Bank and the Dead Sea near the Jordanian border.
U.S. forces downed some of the Iran-launched drones flying toward Israel, according to a U.S. defense official and two U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter.
COLLISION COURSE
Iran had vowed revenge since an April 1 airstrike in Syria killed two Iranian generals inside an Iranian consular building. Iran accused Israel of being behind the attack. Israel hasn't commented on it.
Israel and Iran have been on a collision course throughout Israel's six-month war against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. The war broke out after Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two militant groups backed by Iran, carried out a cross-border attack on Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people in Israel and led to the capture of 250 hostages. An Israeli offensive in Gaza has caused widespread devastation and killed more than 33,000 people, according to local health officials.
Almost immediately after the war broke out, Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militant group in Lebanon, began attacking Israel's northern border. The two sides have been involved in daily exchanges of fire, while Iranian-backed groups in Iraq, Syria and Yemen have launched rockets and missiles toward Israel.
In a statement carried late Saturday by Iran's state-run IRNA news agency, the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard acknowledged launching "dozens of drones and missiles toward the occupied territories and positions of the Zionist regime."
In a later statement, the Revolutionary Guard issued a direct warning to the United States: "The terrorist U.S. government is warned any support or participation in harming Iran's interests will be followed by decisive and regretting response by Iran's armed forces."
IRNA also quoted an anonymous official saying ballistic missiles were part of the attack. A ballistic missile moves on an arc trajectory, heading up into space before gravity brings the weapon down at a speed several times faster than the speed of sound.
Israel has missile defense systems capable of targeting ballistic missiles. However, in an attack involving multiple drones and missiles, the likelihood of a strike making it through is higher.
Iran has a vast arsenal of drones and missiles. Online videos shared by Iranian state television purported to show delta-wing-style drones resembling the Iranian Shahed-136s long used by Russia in its war on Ukraine. The slow-flying drones carry bombs. Ukraine has successfully used surface-to-air missiles and ground fire to target them.
'WE WILL HARM THEM'
Israel has a multilayered air defense network that includes systems capable of intercepting a variety of threats including long-range missiles, cruise missiles, drones and short-range rockets.
The army ordered residents in the Golan Heights -- near the Syrian and Lebanese borders -- as well as the southern towns of Nevatim and Dimona and the Red Sea resort of Eilat "to stay near protective spaces until further notice." Dimona is home to Israel's main nuclear facility, and Nevatim has a major air base.
The army's Home Front Command canceled school today and limited public gatherings to no more than 1,000 people. Israel closed its airspace and canceled all flights.
Earlier, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned: "Whoever harms us, we will harm them."
Gen. Erik Kurilla, the head of the U.S. military's Central Command, was in Israel over the weekend consulting with Israeli defense officials about the Iranian threat. The Central Command oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East.
Iran's mission to the United Nations issued a warning to Israel and the United States. "Should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran's response will be considerably more severe," it wrote online. "It is a conflict between Iran and the rogue Israeli regime, from which the U.S. MUST STAY AWAY!"
For days, Iranian officials including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had threatened to "slap" Israel for its Syria strike.
In Iran's capital, Tehran, witnesses saw long lines at gas stations early today as people appeared worried about what may come next. Dozens of hard-liners demonstrated in support of the attack at Palestine Square.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported heavy Israeli airstrikes and shelling on multiple locations in south Lebanon following Iran's launch of drones. The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said it launched "dozens" of Katyusha rockets at an Israeli military site in the Golan Heights early today. It was not immediately clear if there was any damage.
Countries in the region began to close their airspace.
Information for this article was contributed by Nasser Karimi, Michael Balsamo, Krutika Pathi, Stephen Graham, Thomas Adamson, Zeke Miller and Lolita C. Baldor of The Associated Press.
Iranian demonstrators flash the victory sign as they hold an Iranian flag and a model of a bullet during an anti-Israeli gathering at the Felestin (Palestine) Square in Tehran, Iran, early Sunday, April 14, 2024. Iran launched its first direct military attack against Israel on Saturday. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
An Iranian demonstrator flashes a victory sign as he holds a model of a bullet during an anti-Israeli gathering at the Felestin (Palestine) Square in Tehran, Iran, early Sunday, April 14, 2024. Iran launched its first direct military attack against Israel on Saturday. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
An Iranian demonstrator ignites a flare as others carry a Palestinian flag during an anti-Israeli gathering at the Felestin (Palestine) Sq. in Tehran, Iran, early Sunday, April 14, 2024. Iran launched its first direct military attack against Israel Saturday. The Israeli military says Iran fired more than 100 bomb-carrying drones toward Israel. Hours later, Iran announced it had also launched much more destructive ballistic missiles. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Interceptors missiles are launched into the sky early Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Jerusalem. (AP Photo/Sam Mednick)
Iranian demonstrators wave a Palestinian flag during their anti-Israeli gathering at the Felestin (Palestine) Square in Tehran, Iran, early Sunday, April 14, 2024. Iran launched its first direct military attack against Israel Saturday. The Israeli military says Iran fired more than 100 bomb-carrying drones toward Israel. Hours later, Iran announced it had also launched much more destructive ballistic missiles. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
An Iranian cleric chants slogans while attending an anti-Israeli gathering at the Felestin (Palestine) Square in Tehran, Iran, early Sunday, April 14, 2024. Iran launched its first direct military attack against Israel Saturday. The Israeli military says Iran fired more than 100 bomb-carrying drones toward Israel. Hours later, Iran announced it had also launched much more destructive ballistic missiles. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
An Iranian demonstrator chants slogans while attending an anti-Israeli gathering at the Felestin (Palestine) Square in Tehran, Iran, early Sunday, April 14, 2024. Iran launched its first direct military attack against Israel Saturday. The Israeli military says Iran fired more than 100 bomb-carrying drones toward Israel. Hours later, Iran announced it had also launched much more destructive ballistic missiles. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
A demonstrator waves Iranian and Palestinian flags during an anti-Israeli gathering at the Felestin (Palestine) Square in Tehran, Iran, early Sunday, April 14, 2024. Iran launched its first direct military attack against Israel Saturday. The Israeli military says Iran fired more than 100 bomb-carrying drones toward Israel. Hours later, Iran announced it had also launched much more destructive ballistic missiles. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
This image made from a video provided to The Associated Press by a Mideast defense official shows a helicopter raid targeting a vessel near the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, April 13, 2024. A video seen by The Associated Press shows commandos raiding a ship near the Strait of Hormuz by helicopter Saturday, an attack a Mideast defense official attributed to Iran amid wider tensions between Tehran and the West. The Mideast defense official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters. (AP Photo)