Iran launches drone and missile attack on Israel

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said it launched dozens of drones and missiles at Israel late on Saturday, an attack that may trigger a major escalation between the regional archenemies, with the US pledging to back Israel.

Israel's military said more than 100 drones, which Iraqi security sources said were seen flying over the country from Iran, would take hours to reach their targets. Israeli Channel 12 said some had been shot down over Syria or Jordan.

Military sirens sounded in multiple locations in the south of Israel as well as in parts of the occupied West Bank early on Sunday, an alert app showed, warning of incoming aerial threats.

Iran's state news agency cited a source saying its military had also launched a first wave of ballistic missiles against Israel.

Israel's military put the northern part of the occupied Golan Heights as well as Nevatim, Dimona and Eilat on standby for possible impact early on Sunday, instructing residents to stay close to bomb shelters.

The Golan was captured from Syria in a 1967 war. Nevatim is the site of an Israeli air base. Israel has a nuclear reactor on the outskirts of Dimona. Eilat is Israel's southern Red Sea port, which has come under repeated attack by Yemen's Houthis.

Iran has vowed retaliation for what it called an Israeli strike on its Damascus consulate on April 1st that killed seven Revolutionary Guards officers, including two senior commanders. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the attack.

US president Joe Biden, who on Friday warned Iran against attacking Israel after saying such a scenario appeared imminent, has pledged to stand with Israel against Iran, the White House said.

A retired Israeli general, Amos Yadlin, told the country's Channel 12 news that the Iranian drones were equipped with 20kg of explosives each.

Israel's military said sirens would sound in any threatened areas and that its defences were poised to deal with them.

Israel and neighbouring Jordan, which lies between Iraq and Israel, said they were closing their airspace on Saturday night.

The Gaza war between Israel and Hamas, now in its seventh month, has driven up tensions in the region, spreading to fronts with Lebanon and Syria and drawing long-range fire at Israeli targets from as far away as Yemen and Iraq.

Earlier on Saturday, Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported that a Guards helicopter had boarded and taken into Iranian waters the Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries.

MSC, which operates the Aries, confirmed that Iran had seized the ship and said it was working "with the relevant authorities" for its safe return and the wellbeing of its 25 crew.

MSC leases the Aries from Gortal Shipping, an affiliate of Zodiac Maritime, Zodiac said in a statement, adding that MSC is responsible for all the vessel's activities. Zodiac is partly owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer.

Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz accused Iran of piracy.

More to follow...

-Reuters