The unprecedented Iranian attack against Israel on the night of April 13-14 terrorized the entire nation, proving that the Islamic Republic is dedicated to the destruction of the Jewish state and the annihilation of the Jewish people. Iran launched a barrage of more than 300 drones and missiles. Israel’s air defenses and the support of its allies prevented the catastrophic damage and massive death toll Iran intended. Iran also poses a threat to America and much of the world.
In a span of just a few hours one night, the Islamic Republic unleashed at least 170 suicide drones, 120 ballistic missiles and 30 cruise missiles at the Jewish state. All but five were intercepted midair by Israel and its allies, averting catastrophic casualties and property damage. The only direct victim was a 7-year-old Muslim Arab girl who was critically wounded when shrapnel from an intercepted missile fell on her family’s home. Iran was the first nation to directly attack Israel from its own soil since Iraq’s Saddam Hussein launched Scud missiles in 1991 during the first Gulf War.
Iran’s arsenal of weaponry is much more advanced than the terror group it backs, Hamas. The kamikaze drones can carry more than 400 pounds of explosives. One of the missiles reportedly fired is 60 feet long, has a 22.5-ton mass and can carry a 3,300-pound warhead. Iran has an arsenal of missiles that are much bigger, heavier and deadlier than these.
Iranian general had ‘American blood on his hands’
Iran is the mastermind behind terrorist attacks around the world. The Israeli Air Force recently struck a building used by terrorists next to the Iranian consulate in Syria. According to The New York Times, Iranian intelligence officials were meeting with Palestinian terrorists, including Iran-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad, to discuss the Gaza war. The terrorist leaders performed key roles in leading Hamas and Hezbollah battles. Iranian leaders used this strike to justify its “proportionate” response of firing a barrage of rockets at Israel. Attacks on Israel by Iran and its proxies are for no reason other than for its mere existence.
A senior Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander was killed in the airstrike. The IRGC is a terrorist organization deployed by Iran to carry out international attacks. The general reportedly had “American blood on his hands”—Iran-backed Iraqi militias killed three American troops in a drone attack in Jordan in January. Iran praised the general for his “strategic role in planning and executing the 10/7 attacks.” The massive drone and missile attack on Israel was wildly disproportionate.
‘Great Satan is America’: Islamic Revolution ignites conflicts
The Islamic Revolution in Iran was a major turning point in Middle Eastern history. The most well-known but often forgotten direct attack against America was the seizure of 53 Americans at the U.S. embassy in Iran on Nov. 4, 1979. The next day, Ayatollah Khomeini, who would serve as the first supreme leader of the Islamic Republic, stated: “In this revolution, the Great Satan is America that gathers around other devils blatantly.”
Khomeini condemned Israel as “Little Satan” because of its close ties to America. A failed rescue attempt claimed the lives of eight American soldiers during the 444-day Iran hostage crisis.
U.S. intelligence officials warned in January that Iran-backed Hezbollah is capable of attacking the American homeland.
Hezbollah previously attacked American citizens in the bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut in 1983, killing 63, including 17 Americans; the U.S. Marine barracks bombing in October 1983 which killed 241 American and 58 French servicemen; the bombing of the U.S. Embassy annex in Beirut in 1984 which killed 24; the hijacking of TWA 847 in 1985 in which a Navy diver was shot in the head and his body dumped on the tarmac; and the Khobar Towers housing attack in Saudi Arabia in 1996 that killed 19 U.S. airmen.
Days before Iran’s recent attack, a federal court in Argentina ruled recently that Iran and Hezbollah were responsible for two bombing attacks targeting Jews in Buenos Aires. A suicide bomber killed 28 civilians at the Israeli embassy in 1992. Two years later, a terrorist drove a van loaded with 600 pounds of fertilizer and oil into the Jewish community center, killing 85 people. The car-bomb attack had nothing to do with Israel, only Jews. The court stated that the attacks were “organized, planned, financed and executed under the direction of Iran within the framework of jihad and with Hezbollah.”
Hezbollah terrorists in Southern Lebanon joined the direct Iranian attack—firing rockets, missiles and drones at Israel almost daily since Oct. 8. The Iranian general killed in Syria was the only non-Lebanese member of Hezbollah’s advisory council, further proving the close relations with Iran. The terror group has nearly 200,000 rockets aimed at Israel.
‘Death to America’ and ‘Death to Israel’
American leaders—both Democrats and Republicans—strongly condemned the Iranian attack. Many European nations also voiced their support. At the same time, some anti-Israel groups hailed the attack and at least one chanted: “Death to America.”
Pro-Palestinian and left-wing university campus groups cheered the Iranian attack on Israel, just like on Oct. 7. A professor at California State University tweeted: “It’s for us as Arabs that Iran did what all Arabs could not do.” White supremacists also voiced their support. American anti-war activists in Chicago celebrated the attacks during a meeting. Some of the congressional “Squad” members—Reps. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) and Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.)—blamed Israel for Iran’s attack.
Iran, which is ironically the current chair of the U.N. Conference on Disarmament, is edging ever closer to wielding nuclear weapons, possibly only weeks away. The U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency reported in March that Iran violated its commitments on uranium enrichment. Months earlier, Iran barred International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors from its nuclear facilities.
An Iranian nuclear scientist recently declared that “making an atomic bomb is not complicated. Our nuclear reactor capabilities are high. When you have high capabilities, it means power. We are one of the top five countries.”
Israeli allies prove Jewish state is not isolated
A united defense against Iran’s aggression was a major Israeli victory. Reports indicate that Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates helped Israel. America, the United Kingdom and France also shot down projectiles or provided intelligence support. The Wall Street Journal reported that America rallied Arab nations to support Israel. The UAE is a peace partner in the Abraham Accords. The combined response—even from countries that don’t have warm relations with Israel—proves that they all view Iran as a common enemy.
The Abraham Accords are normalization agreements between Israel and Islamic countries—the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan—signed in the fall of 2020. A member of the Saudi royal family recently asserted that Iran “engineered the war in Gaza” to prevent the Saudi-Israeli normalization talks from proceeding further. Days before Iran’s latest attack against Israel, reports surfaced that Indonesia—the world’s most populous Muslim country—plans to normalize relations with Israel in exchange for the Jewish state supporting its entry into the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Points to consider:
- Iran targeted all of Israel, including the sacred Al-Aqsa mosque.
One of the most iconic images is a photo of Israeli interceptors appearing above the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem to destroy incoming Iranian rockets. The neighboring Al-Aqsa mosque is the third holiest site in Islam. The Israeli ambassador to the United Nations responded: “For the murderous Iranian regime, murdering Israelis is more important than safeguarding Islamic holy sites.” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.): “Are the Anti-Israel haters going to thank Israel for protecting one of the holiest sites in Islam? No.” Israel allows freedom of worship in Jerusalem for Muslims, Christians and Jews—and protects their holy sites. Iran sees its attacks as a justified sacrifice in its holy war against Jews.
- Don’t be fooled by the 99% success rate; it could be far worse the next time.
Israel, America and their allies successfully shot down 99% of Iran’s incoming drones, rockets and missiles. It is easy to look at this very high number and think that Israel will always be safe from future attacks. However, Israel’s defense system can be easily overwhelmed if several hundred or thousands of rockets are launched simultaneously at Israel, especially if Iran-backed terror groups in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq join in again. There is also a huge economic impact: The estimated cost for Israel to defend itself was about $1 billion—in a single night. And Israel’s supply of defensive weapons can be quickly depleted.
- Israel is fighting an extreme Islamist regime intent on controlling the Middle East and beyond.
Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza and the West Bank, Hezbollah in Syria, the Houthis in Yemen, militias in Iraq—they are all terrorist organizations armed, trained and funded by Iran. The Islamic Republic provided its ballistic and cruise missiles to the Houthis who have been firing them at Israel since Oct. 7. Russia bought more than 9,000 of the Iranian suicide drones used against Israel for its war in Ukraine. Iran collaborates with Russia, China and North Korea in developing weapons. Iran also is intent on becoming a nuclear power. Iran is the greatest threat to Israel and the entire Middle East.
- Iran vows to destroy Israel and kill millions of Jews.
The Islamic Republic’s religious leaders and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps routinely advocate for wiping Israel off the map. Iran’s goals are clearly stated and supported by its actions: building nuclear weapons and supporting terrorist groups that share its vision. A Palestinian terrorist group stated that Iran’s attacks are “the final nail in Israel’s coffin.” Iran’s nuclear ambitions are an existential threat to the Jewish state. Israelis fear that a nuclear-armed Iran could act on its rhetoric and pose an imminent danger to its security. Only 30% of Israelis are optimistic about the future of Israel’s national security.
- America is committed to helping defend Israel.
Senior American defense officials met with Israeli leaders at the IDF’s headquarters days before Iran’s attack. The United States reportedly shot down 70 to 80 of the Iranian drones during the attack. White House national security spokesperson John Kirby: “We’ll keep helping Israel defend itself even if that means, as we proved during the Iran attack, that U.S. forces have to get involved in that self-defense.”
- The Islamic Republic of Iran does not represent all Iranians.
The Iranian government does not speak for all its citizens. Before the Islamic Revolution, the nation was secular; now the morality police enforces a strict dress and behavior code on women. Leaders also persecute religious minorities, including Christians, Jews and Bahá’ís. Iranian leaders squander billions of dollars on its military and funding terrorist groups rather than for the benefit of their citizens. The regime severely represses anti-government protests; there have been more than 6,000 protests in Iran in the past year and a half. Some Iranians living in America and Europe have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Jews rallying against Hamas and Iran. Many Iranians want the same freedoms that Americans and Israelis enjoy.
