Iran launched a volley of drones and missiles at Israel that are expected to strike the Jewish homeland in several hours, according to US and Israeli officials.
IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari told CNN that GPS will not be available in some areas to track the drones as they prepare defenses against the imminent attack.
Iran has a massive arsenal of its deadly ‘suicide” drone, the Shahed 136.
Unverified footage posted on social media by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-linked accounts purportedly shows the buzzing sound of Shahed drones flying over Iraq.
3 Iran launched dozens of drones on Israel, both countries confirmed. via REUTERS
3 The drones are expected to take hours to reach Israel. x @Toxicity_______
Iran sold thousands of these weapons to Russia that were subsequently used against targets in the Ukraine, according to Haaretz.
Iran has also provided them to Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The kamikaze drones have a range of more than 1,500 miles and can carry 80-pound warheads, according to ArmyTechnology.com.
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Iran said in August it had built an advanced drone, the Mohajer-10, with an operational range of 1,240 miles, The Times of Israel reported.
They are capable of flying for up to 24 hours with loads as large as 660 pounds.
The IDF said it is tracking at least 100 drones.
3 Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. khamenei.ir/AFP via Getty Images
Iran also also launched cruise missiles at Israel, according to Israeli media reports.
Iran is armed with the largest number of ballistic missiles in the region, according to the US Office of the Director or National Intelligence, The Times of Israel reported.
The semi-official Iranian news outlet ISNA published a graphic this week revealing the nine Iranian missiles that could reach Israel, according to the outlet.
These included the ‘Sejil’, capable of flying at more than 10,500 miles per hour and with a range of 1,550 miles, the ‘Kheibar’ with a range of 1,240 miles, and the ‘Haj Qasem’, which has a range of 870 miles ISNA said.
Israel has a number of layers of air defense capable of intercepting everything from long-range missiles to UAV’s and short-range rockets.
Hagari said Israel has an “excellent air defense system” but stressed it is not 100% effective and urged the public to listen to safety announcements.
US officials said they will attempt to intercept launches at Israel if possible, CNN reported.
A look at Iran’s deadly arsenal of ‘suicide’ drones, missiles
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