Iran Irak - AW&ST oppdatering

 

U.S., Israel Officials Release Defense Details About Iran Attack

Brian Everstine April 14, 2024

 

Ground crews prepare an Israeli F-15 in a hangar. 

Credit: Israel Defense Forces

Hours after the last Iranian missiles and drones were downed by Israel, the U.S. and multiple other nations, top American officials provided more details on how a layered defense of fighter aircraft, Navy destroyers and air defense systems provided an almost complete defense of the unprecedented aerial attack from Iran.

Iran launched more than 300 missiles and attack drones—both from within its borders and from sites in Iraq, Syria and Yemen—toward Israel. The total included more than 100 medium-range ballistic missiles, more than 30 land-attack cruise missiles and more than 170 attack drones. The vast majority of the threats, particularly the ballistic missiles, were defeated by Israeli forces.

Three senior U.S. officials, in an April 14 briefing, outlined the American response. Boeing F-15Es from the 494th and 335th Fighter Squadrons shot down more than 70 of the drones, along with participation by Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.

The guided-missile destroyers USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) and USS Carney (DDG-64) shot down between four and six ballistic missiles. Additionally, a U.S. Army Patriot battery near Erbil, Iraq, shot down one ballistic missile.

U.S. Central Command and U.S. European Command surged forces to the region ahead of the anticipated attack. This included the deployment of an additional guided-missile destroyer which was approved by President Joe Biden on April 10. Senior defense and administration officials said the Iranian attack was in the “higher end” of what was anticipated.

Israeli officials released few operational details, but showed videos of F-35I, F-15E and F-16 aircraft and crews returning from air defense missions early on April 14. The Israeli fighters shot down all of the remaining attack drones before they entered Israeli airspace, an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman said.

The combined defensive efforts allowed only about 1% of the Iranian missile barrage to slip through, resulting in minor damage to infrastructure at Nevatim Air Base in the sparsely populated Negev Desert, the IDF spokesman said.

British Defense Secretary Grant Schapps said in a social media statement that the UK surged additional Royal Air Force aircraft to the region ahead of the attack. These aircraft intercepted and destroyed multiple one-way attack drones, he said.

A senior administration official also highlighted involvement by the French military, though no additional details have been released.

The Jordanian government, in an April 14 statement, said it targeted some of the drones and missiles as they entered the kingdom's airspace in an act of self defense.