As Iranian missiles and drones flew toward Israel, they brought with them a new wave of tension, uncertainty and confrontation in the Middle East.
Why did Iran attack Israel?: Israel and Iran are long-standing rivals and have been engaged in a shadow war for years.
Iran launched the unprecedented attack in response to a suspected Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, earlier this month. Tehran’s attack targeted the Nevatim airbase, an Iranian army official said on Sunday, alleging that this is where Israel’s early April strike on the Iranian consulate was launched from.
How did the attacks unfold? More than 300 projectiles – including around 170 drones and over 120 ballistic missiles – were fired in the immense aerial attack. Of those, “99%” were intercepted by Israel’s aerial defense systems and its allies, according to the Israeli military, with only a small number reaching Israeli territory.
What next? The decisions made by Israel’s War Cabinet will dictate the immediate next steps. One of the members, Benny Gantz said Israel will “exact a price from Iran in a way and time that suits us.” But Iran said a “new equation” in its adversarial relationship with Israel had been opened, and warned of a “much bigger” assault on the country should Netanyahu decide on a tit-for-tat attack.
Read more about what could happen next between the two countries here.