Israel managed to successfully intercept 99% of the more than 300 drones and missiles launched from Iran late Saturday night through early Sunday morning with little damage. However, the success achieved by the Israeli air defense in collaboration with the U.S. and other allies does not mean the end of the conflict with the Iranian regime, as several leaders warned. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's first comment after the offensive was a message celebrating the performance of his defensive system and defiance: "We intercept. We stop. Together we will win." Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that "the campaign is not over yet and we are alert and strong."
יירטנו. בלמנו.
יחד ננצח 🇮🇱— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) April 14, 2024
Biden warned Netanyahu that the US will not support a military response from Israel
Netanyahu posted his words on X shortly after having a telephone conversation with President Joe Biden in which Biden congratulated him on the work carried out jointly by the military forces of both countries. In addition, Biden warned the Israeli prime minister that the U.S. would not support or participate in a retaliatory attack against Tehran, as first published by Axios and CNN. "You got a win. Take the win," the U.S. president told his Israeli counterpart, according to a source familiar with the content of the talk between the two leaders.
In fact, all the official statements issued by members of the presidential cabinet (Biden's own, and others from the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken) highlight the United States' "strong commitment" to Israel's security, though all were careful to avoid supporting Netanyahu or his policies, and did not mention Israel's right to self-defense after the Iranian offensive.
'The world saw the true face of Iran'
The Israeli defense minister highlighted that, due to the aggression suffered by Israel "the world saw the true face of Iran – a terrorist state that attacked Israel with hundreds of missiles and UAVs." Furthermore, "The world also saw the power of the IDF and the power of a coalition - Israel, the U.S. and their partners, thwarted this attack in an unprecedented way."
Gallant warned after its "extraordinary" defense overnight, the Israel Defense Forces "will continue to be prepared for every scenario. The campaign is not over yet and we are alert and strong."
The IDF operated in an extraordinary manner overnight, and will continue to be prepared for every scenario.
The campaign is not over yet and we are alert and strong.
— יואב גלנט - Yoav Gallant (@yoavgallant) April 14, 2024
