On Saturday April 13th 2024 Iran launched a massive aerial attack on Israel consisting of up to 300 drones and missiles, which was in response to the Israeli attack on an Iranian embassy back on April 1st this year.

Many of the weapons used to attack Israel were intercepted by the country’s two main defensive weapons systems consisting of the Iron Dome and Arrow three. Allies from the U.S Britain and France said that they also aided in Israel’s defense from the attack, the country of Jordan which shares airspace with Israel also said they assisted in the defense.

In the days following the attack leaders are working to make statements regarding the incident. 

“We intercepted. We blocked. Together we will win,” said Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime minister of Israel. 

Allies of Israel who assisted in the defense have made statements in support of Israel and have been accusing Iran of unnecessarily escalating tensions in the region with the attack. The United Nations also made a statement hoping to get the two nations to step back from the brink of a potential all out war. 

“Iranians have made it abundantly clear that they consider the attack over,” said Nomi Bar-Yaacov, a professor in politics in the Middle east.

Following the attack many are worried that any follow up military action from Israel would spark a wider war in the Middle East. Tensions in the region are already high with the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. The escalation from Iran with the ongoing conflict validates the criticisms from many countries, including the repeated urges from President Biden that Israel shouldn’t respond to the Iranian attack. 

All eyes are on Israel for the next few weeks while global superpowers watch closely to see if they’ll retaliate. With the conversation of all out war between the two countries on the table, and Humanitarian aid continuing to struggle with the ongoing war with Hamas a greater conflict could cause an untold number of deaths. It is also important to note that the Iranian attack wasn’t unprovoked and was spurred by the Israeli attack on an Iranian embassy.