Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan shows a video of the missile attacks Credit: EDUARDO MUNOZ/REUTERS How Iran’s attack on Israel unfolded – minute by minute
Tehran has called on Western nations to “appreciate Iran’s restraint” after it launched hundreds of missiles and drones in an unprecedented direct attack against Israel.
Nasser Kanani, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, said: “Instead of making accusations against Iran, [Western] countries should blame themselves and answer to public opinion for the measures they have taken against the…war crimes committed by Israel.”
Mr Kanani added that Western countries “should appreciate Iran’s restraint in recent months” in response to a deadly strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.
Iran said it had informed the United States and gave a 72-hour warning to neighbouring countries ahead of what it called its “limited” attack on Israel but said no prearranged deal was made with any country regarding how Tehran would carry out its strike.
Follow the latest updates below.
Live Reporting Related Stories 15 April 2024 • 12:35pm
12:22PM
Germany summons Iranian ambassador Germany on Monday summoned the Iranian ambassador, a day after Tehran sent for the German, French and British envoys over their countries’ response to Iran’s missile and drone attack on Israel.
“I can inform you that the Iranian ambassador has been summoned to the foreign ministry this morning and that the talks are currently taking place,” a spokesman for the ministry told a regular government press conference, without specifying what issue would be raised.
12:06PM
Biggest single disruption to air travel since 9/11 Global airlines continue to face disruption this morning following what has been called the biggest single disruption to air travel since 9/11.
Mark Lee, the founder of OPSGROUP, which monitors airspace and airports, said Iran’s drone and missile attack on Israel has led to the largest single disruption to the sector since the attack on the World Trade Centre in 2001.
His comments came as Europe’s aviation regulator reaffirmed advice to airlines to exercise caution when flying through Israeli and Iranian airspace.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) said it and the European Commission would “continue to closely monitor the situation to assess any potential safety risks for EU aircraft operators and be ready to act as appropriate”.
KLM, the Dutch airline, has cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv until tomorrow, while at least a dozen airlines have had to cancel or reroute flights in the past two days, including Qantas, Germany’s Lufthansa, United Airlines and Air India.
10:57AM
Kremlin ‘extremely concerned’ about Middle East escalation The Kremlin has said it is “extremely concerned” about an escalation in hostilities between Israel and Iran, as it urged both sides to show restraint.
“We are extremely concerned about the escalation of tensions in the region,” Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, told reporters. “We call on all countries in the region to exercise restraint.”
Mr Peskov called on both parties to resolve the the simmering crisis through diplomatic means, rather than resorting to retaliatory strikes. “Further escalation is in no one’s interests. Therefore, of course, we advocate that all disagreements be resolved exclusively by political and diplomatic methods,” he said.
Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, spoke on the phone with his Iranian counterpart on Sunday, as Moscow refrained from criticising its ally in public over the strikes.
10:45AM
Middle East ‘on cliff edge’, says EU foreign policy chief The European Union’s foreign policy chief said the Middle East stands “on the edge of the cliff” as he called for de-escalation between Israel and Iran.
Josep Borrell told Spanish radio station Onda Cero: “We’re on the edge of the cliff and we have to move away from it. We have to step on the brakes and reverse gear.”
Mr Borrell said he expected a response from Israel to Iran’s unprecedented attack but hoped it would not spark further escalation. He added there was “profound division” within Israel’s Right-wing governing coalition between hardliners seeking fierce retaliation and a “more moderate and sensible” faction.
That faction advocates for retaliation, Mr Borrell said, “but in a way that avoids a response to the response”.
Mr Borrell, who spoke with Hossein Amirabdollahian, the Iranian foreign minister, late on Sunday, said the EU needed to have the best possible relations with Iran despite sanctions placed on the Islamic Republic over its nuclear ambitions and human rights abuses.
“It’s in everyone’s interest that Iran does not become a nuclear power and that the Middle East is pacified,” he said.
10:38AM
Germany calls for de-escalation Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor, has urged restraint by Israel after it successfully repelled Iran’s unprecedented drone and missile attack.
“Everyone agrees that the way in which Israel managed to successfully repel this attack… is really impressive,” said Mr Scholz, adding: “that is a success that should not be given away, and therefore our advice is to contribute to de-escalation.”
His comments were echoed by Annalena Baerbock, Germany’s foreign minister, who said Israel’s “defensive victory” over Iran must be secured via diplomatic means.
“Israel has won defensively thanks to its strong air defence and the efforts of the US, Britain and Arabic states,” Ms Baerbock told a news conference in Paris.
She added: “Now we must prevent an escalation in the region,” before explaining she had spoken to Iran’s foreign minister on Sunday and clearly warned him against further escalation.
10:19AM
Iran seized Israeli-linked ship over ‘maritime laws violation’ Iran said it seized an Israel-linked vessel on Saturday over a “maritime laws violation”.
Footage of the incident shared by Iranian state media showed Iranian troops rappelling from a helicopter onto the deck of the MSC Aries cargo ship, which was sailing under a Portuguese flag.
Nasser Kanaani, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, said: “Iran strives to create a safe shipping environment in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf. The vessel was diverted into Iran’s territorial waters as a result of it violating maritime laws and not answering calls made by Iranian authorities.”
10:14AM
Iran urges West to ‘appreciate restraint’ towards Israel Tehran has called on Western nations to “appreciate Iran’s restraint” towards Israel after it launched an unprecedented attack against its rival in response to a deadly strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.
Nasser Kanani, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, said: “Instead of making accusations against Iran, [Western] countries should blame themselves and answer to public opinion for the measures they have taken against the…war crimes committed by Israel.”
Mr Kanani added that Western countries “should appreciate Iran’s restraint in recent months”.
Iran said it had informed the United States and gave a 72-hour warning to neighbouring countries ahead of what it called its “limited” attack on Israel, but said no prearranged deal was made with any country regarding how Tehran would carry out its strike.
The aim of Iran’s actions was to “create a deterrent in the aim to prevent the repetition of the actions of the Zionist regime and to defend [Iranian] interests”, Mr Kanani added.
10:04AM
EU to discuss placing fresh sanctions on Iran The European Union will discuss whether to hit Iran with new sanctions after the Islamic Republic launched 300 missiles and drones at Israel over the weekend.
But hardline views within the bloc will likely be watered down by a wider international effort to prevent an escalation between Israel and Iran.
Josep Borrell, the EU’s top diplomat, who has been keen to soften sanctions talk in favour of keeping diplomacy open with Tehran, warned Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian “not to escalate further”.
Charles Michel, the European Council’s president, who attended a meeting of G7 leaders over the weekend, added: “We will continue all our efforts to work towards de-escalation.”
The strikes will feature prominently in discussions between EU leaders when they meet for a summit in Brussels later this week.
At their last meeting, they discussed whether to hit Iran with new economic sanctions in response to intelligence warnings that Tehran was preparing to ship ballistic missiles to Russia.
The bloc’s foreign ministers will hold talks via video conference on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the EU’s Aviation Safety Agency has recommended a buffer zone of 100 nautical miles around Israel.
For Iran, it warned: “There continues to be an increased potential for miscalculation and/or misidentification” in airspace over the capital Tehran.
9:53AM
Israel to reconvene war cabinet this morning, reports suggest Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, will reconvene his war cabinet at 2pm (11am GMT) on Monday, a government source said.
The war cabinet, comprising Mr Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, the defence minister, Benny Gantz, a former defence minister, and several observers, previously met on Sunday night, the source told Reuters.
It comes amid international concern that Israel is planning a response to Iran’s unprecedented attack on Saturday that could further escalate tensions in the region.
9:49AM
Israel ‘not in the business of revenge’ A spokeswoman for the Israeli embassy in London has said Israel is “not in the business of revenge” but needs to ensure Iran is “deterred” from launching further attacks.
Asked if Israel will heed warnings from its allies calling for restraint, Orly Goldschmidt told Sky News: “We are listening very carefully to our allies, we’re taking what they’re saying into consideration but, at the end of the day, we will have to defend ourselves against this Iranian threat.”
Ms Goldschmidt said she would not comment on what Israel’s response may look like or when it might take place.
“Not revenge, because we’re not in the business of revenge but we want to make sure that they are deterred,” she said.
“What happened on Saturday cannot happen on a daily basis, on a weekly basis. We have to understand that it’s not a new normal that can happen in the Middle East, we have to make sure that the Iranians understand and they are deterred.”
9:39AM
Israel accuses UN of spreading Hamas ‘propaganda’ Israel has accused the UN of spreading Hamas ‘propaganda’ over concerns that aid trucks entering Gaza are only half-full, writes Dominic Penna.
“That’s just a UN ruse,” David Mencer, an Israeli spokesman, told BBC Radio 4’s Today. “The issue here is distribution. The UN is hopelessly inefficient at distributing aid.”
Asked about the extent of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Samantha Power, the head of the US agency for international development, has said famine is already under way, Mr Mencer cautioned against taking such warnings at face value.
“You must not take this sort of propaganda at face value. This is what Hamas wants you to believe. There are 500 trucks right now waiting to be picked up on the Gazan side of the border full to the brim,” he said.
Israel has recently opened a new Northern Crossing to funnel aid into the war-torn territory instead of re-opening the Erez crossing, amid concerns that Israeli protesters would block trucks from passing through.
9:22AM
Pictured: Israel’s military staff Israel’s military chief Herzi Halevi (left) attending a situational assessment with members of the General Staff Credit: Getty Images/AFP 9:04AM
RAF jets could defend Israel again, says Lord Cameron Lord Cameron has suggested RAF fighter jets could be used to defend Israel again, despite warning against retaliation.
Asked whether British forces could again be involved in fending off another Iranian strike, Lord Cameron told BBC Radio 4’s Today: “If they come under attack, that’s a different issue.”
RAF troops joined US and Israeli pilots in helping to down a barrage of hundreds of missiles and drones fired at Israel at Iran on Saturday night.
Despite continued British support for Israel, the foreign secretary was clear in calling for decrease in tensions. “We are saying very clearly we don’t support a retaliatory strike. We don’t think they should make one.
“What we are saying very clearly to the Israelis is ‘we respect your right to take action, you are an independent, sovereign country’,” he said. “The right thing to do, the tough thing to do now is not to escalate further but to switch the focus back on to getting the hostages home.”
8:50AM
Watch: Damage caused by Iran’s attack
8:43AM
Israel ‘knows what our second retaliation would be’, says Iran ambassador Iran’s ambassador to the UN has said Israel is aware of what Tehran’s next attack will involve.
Israel “would know what our second retaliation would be… they understand the next one will be most decisive”, Amir Saeid Iravani told Sky News.
Speaking after an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss tensions in the Middle East, he described the promise of an Israeli response as “a threat, not an action”.
His comments came after Israel’s war cabinet convened on Sunday to discuss a potential retaliation against Iran, with one unnamed official vowing a “significant response”, Israel’s Channel 12 reported.
Despite his threats, Mr Iravani suggested Tehran’s strike, which came in response to an Israeli attack on Iran’s consular in Damascus, should draw a line under further escalation by Israel. I think there should be no military response from Israel,” he said.
8:31AM
Lord Cameron: Hamas is to blame for ongoing Gaza war Hamas is to blame for keeping the Gaza conflict going, Lord Cameron has said.
“Israel has put an offer on the table, which is incredibly difficult for them,” the foreign secretary said, alluding to the proposed release of dozens of prisoners and a pause in fighting. “These are very difficult decisions to make, but they’ve made them.
“And Hamas has rejected that offer. So anyone in any doubt who is responsible for keeping this conflict going, it’s not Israel, it is Hamas, and the focus should be on them.”
8:24AM
Lord Cameron urges Israel: ‘Think with head as well as heart’ Lord Cameron has urged Israel not to retaliate after Iran’s drone and missile attack, saying it should “think with head as well as heart” because Tehran’s strike had been a near total failure.
“I think they’re perfectly justified to think they should respond because they have been attacked, but we are urging them as friends to think with head as well as heart, to be smart as well as tough,” the Foreign Secretary told BBC Radio 4’s the Today programme.
The strike by more than 300 missiles and drones from Iran caused only modest damage in Israel as most were shot down by its Iron Dome defence system with help from the US, Britain, France and Jordan.
8:12AM
UK would consider more sanctions against Iran, says Cameron Britain would consider further sanctions against Iran, Lord Cameron has said, following its drone and missile attack on Israel.
Asked whether the government would consider more sanctions on Iran, the Foreign Secretary told the BBC: “Yes, absolutely. We already have 400 sanctions on Iran. We put in place a whole new sanctions regime at the end of last year, which is proving very effective.
“We’ve sanctioned the IRGC, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, in its entirety, and we’ll continue to look at what further steps we can do,” he added.
Lord Cameron also said Britain would keep under review whether it should proscribe the IRGC.
8:10AM
Macron: France will do everything to avoid Middle East ‘conflagration’ Emmanuel Macron has said France would help do everything to avoid a “conflagration” in the Middle East following Iran’s unprecedented missile and drone attack.
“We will do everything to avoid… a conflagration,” the French president told the BFMTV news channel, adding that French jets helped repel an Iranian violation of Jordan’s air space during the attack on Saturday night.
8:03AM
IDF ‘downs drone’ headed towards Israel Israeli fighter jets shot down a drone last night launched towards Israel from the east, the military reported.
The drone’s flight path was tracked throughout the incident, the IDF told the Times of Israel, and no sirens sounded in Israel.
Drones have been launched at Israel by Iran-backed militants in Iraq several times since the outbreak of war in Gaza.
The strike comes as the country remains on red alert following Iran’s major assault on Saturday night involving 170 drones, of which Israel claimed it downed 99 per cent.
7:58AM
‘Crazy’ Iran prepared for war Iran is “crazier” than the world realises and is ready for the consequences that accompany an outright war, a regime insider has said.
An Iranian source told the Financial Times: “Iran’s message was clear: we’re crazier than you realise and we’re prepared to endure the consequences of war if necessary.
“This is meant to serve as a deterrent and a signal to the US and Israel that ‘enough is enough’.”
Iran launched a massive barrage of drones and missiles at Israel on Saturday, its first ever direct attack against its long-standing rival.
Ahmad Dastmalchian, Iran’s former ambassador to Lebanon, said: “This was an act of punishment that’s now over.
“If they [Israel] commit another mistake, Iran will respond on a much larger scale. But we believe neither the Americans nor the other parties have any interest in broadening the conflict.”
7:40AM
Iran’s attack on Israel ‘disproportionate’, says Macron Emmanuel Macron has labelled Iran’s retaliatory strike on Israel deploying hundreds of drones and missiles a “disproportionate” response.
“Iran has replied to Israel’s strike in Damascus in disproportionate fashion,” the French president said. “We have to stand by Israel’s side to ensure its protection as best we can.”
Iran’s major strike, its first direct attack on Israeli soil, followed Israel’s bombing of Tehran’s consular in Damascus that killed seven of its Revolutionary Guard.
Mr Macron’s comments came ahead of a planned phone call with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu later today, as France stepped up security around Jewish schools and synagogues, partly as a response to the current Middle East crisis.
Gerald Darmanin, the interior minister, wrote on X, formally Twitter: “As Passover approaches and given the current international situation, I have told local officials to significantly step up security at places visited by our Jewish compatriots, especially with regards to synagogues and Jewish schools.”
7:22AM
Catch up: Israel calls up two reserve brigades to send to Gaza The Israeli army has announced it will be recruiting two additional brigades to serve in Gaza, writes Nataliya Vasilyeva.
“Approximately two brigades” of reservists will be called up for operation activities in the territory where fighting has been going on for over six months, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Sunday.
“Their calling will allow the continuous effort and readiness to defend the State of Israel and the security of civilians,” it said.
The announcement was made a week after the IDF pulled its troops from the southern city of Khan Yunis amid expectations that they could be later used for a ground manoeuvre in the southern city of Rafah, something that Israel’s allies have strongly opposed.
Read Nataliya’s full report here.
7:20AM
Catch up: Israel urges UK to proscribe IRGC as terrorist group Israel has urged allies, including Britain, to proscribe Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist group following the drone and missile attacks on the country, writes Charles Hymas.
On Sunday, Lior Haiat, a spokesman for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called for a terrorist ban on the IRGC as an “initial price” for its “large-scale and unprecedented” aggression against Israel.
The call will increase pressure on the Government with Tory MPs and Labour set to reaffirm their demands for a ban on Monday when Rishi Sunak is expected to give a statement on the Iranian attack to the Commons.
Meanwhile Lord Cameron, the Foreign Secretary, summoned Iran’s charge d’affaires on Sunday. In a statement, a government spokesman reiterated the UK’s condemnation of Iran’s actions and said that the UK “will continue to stand up for Israel’s security”.
Read Charles’s full report here.
7:19AM
Catch up: RAF Typhoons and bionic helmets helped Israel repel drones Israel and its allies, including the UK, were preparing for 10 days for an Iranian attack, according to a senior US military official.
Israel claims 99 per cent of the more than 330 drones, cruise and ballistic missiles fired from Iran were shot down.
The RAF jets shot down somewhere between 10 and 20 Shaheed “suicide” drones.
Each aircraft has the capability to carry six medium-range and two short-range air-to-air missiles.
Their precision was aided by the Helmet-Mounted Symbology System, a “bionic” helmet and support system that lets the pilot “see” through the body of the aircraft, giving them a vital advantage when it comes to split-second decision-making.
Read more about the RAF’s role and the technology behind Israel’s defensive strategies.
7:18AM
Catch up: Israel tells UN it reserves the right to retaliate against Iran
Israel has told the UN it has “every right to retaliate” against Iran after Saturday’s barrage of more than 350 drones and missiles.
Gilad Erdan, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, told an emergency meeting of the security council on Sunday: “We are surrounded by Iran’s terror proxies. This attack crossed every red line and Israel reserves every right to retaliate.”
Comparing Iran to Nazi Germany, he added: “The Islamic regime of today is no different from the Third Reich and Khamenei [Iranian Supreme Leader] is no different from Adolf Hitler.”
Mr Erdan’s comments come as Israel weighs its options in responding to Iran’s attack on Saturday, which was largely intercepted by Israel, the US, the UK and Jordan.
Joe Biden and other Western leaders have urged Benjamin Netanyahu to show restraint but a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces said the country’s war cabinet had already approved “offensive and defensive” operations.
The Iranian ambassador to the UN said Tehran had an “inherent right to respond proportionately” if the US was to join any Israeli military operations against Iran.
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