Last updated on August 7th, 2024 at 04:29 pm
US aircraft and warships appear to have played a significant role in protecting Israel from a wave of Iranian drone and missile attacks, launched this weekend in response to a suspected Israeli airstrike on Iran’s embassy compound in Damascus, Syria earlier this month.
On Sunday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM)—the component overseeing US military operations in the Middle East—announced its forces and destroyers assigned to the US European Command (EUCOM) shot down more than 80 explosive-laden one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicles (OWA UAV) and at least six ballistic missiles launched toward Israel from Iran and Yemen on April 13 and the morning of April 14.
CENTCOM’s announcement indicates US forces blunted a sizeable share of the wave of drones and missiles Iran directed at Israel in retaliation. Iran reportedly launched around 150 missiles and around 170 drones at Israel after attributing a deadly April 1 strike on Iran’s Damascus embassy compound to Israel.
President Joe Biden also revealed, in a Sunday evening social media post, that aircraft assigned to the US Air Force’s 494th and 335th Fighter Squadrons participated in the efforts to intercept missiles and drones heading for Israel.
I spoke with members of the 494th and 335th Fighter Squadrons today to commend them for their exceptional airmanship and skill in defending Israel from an unprecedented aerial attack by Iran. These brave servicemembers make us all proud. pic.twitter.com/8fudfNR8uu
— President Biden (@POTUS) April 14, 2024
CENTCOM said one of the ballistic missiles and seven of the drones it stopped were still on the ground in an area of Yemen controlled by the Houthi rebel movement. The Houthis, also known as Ansarallah, are a Shiite movement that has directed previous drone and missile attacks at Israel and whom the US government suspects has aligned with Iran.
While CENTCOM reported destroying dozens of missiles and drones before they could reach Israel, other missiles and drones appear to have been shot down by Israeli air defense forces.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported more than 300 drone and missile launches were detected from Iran “and its proxies,” of which the IDF reported about 99 percent were intercepted.
IDF Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, an Israeli military spokesman, said Nevatim air force base in southern Israel sustained minor damage during the attack, but base operations are continuing.
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