Iran Says Exercising ‘Right of Self-Defense’ by ‘Extensive’ Drone, Missile Attack against Israel

IQNA – Iranian armed forces launched an extensive drone and missile attack against occupied territories on Saturday night as Tehran described as its “right of self defense”.

“On 14 April 2024, the Islamic Republic of Iran's armed forces have carried out a series of military strikes on Israeli's military bases in response to, and in exercise of its inherent right of self-defense as recognized under Article 51 of the Charter,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry announced in an official statement.

It noted that the attack was in response to “Israel's recurring military aggressions, resulting in the martyrdom of the Iranian military advisors present in Syria at the invitation of the Syrian government, in particular the 1 April armed attack against diplomatic premises of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Damascus.”

“The Islamic Republic of Iran's resort to defensive measures in exercise of its right of self-defense demonstrates Iran's responsible approach toward regional and international peace and security at a time when the occupying apartheid regime's pattern of relentless genocidal campaign against Palestinian people is accompanied with repeated military aggressions against neighboring States and fanning the flames across the region and beyond,” added the ministry.

Tehran also warned that it “would not hesitate to take further necessary defensive measures to protect its legitimate interests against any act of military aggression or unlawful use of force.”

Earlier that night, Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announced that it had launched “extensive” retaliatory missile and drone strikes against the occupied territories.

The Corps announced launching the strikes in a statement on Saturday night, defining the mission as "Operation True Promise."

Opening the statement with verse 22 of Surah As-Sajdah which reads “We will take revenge on the criminal,” IRGC said “In response to the Zionist regime’s numerous crimes, including the attack on the consular section of Iran’s Embassy in Damascus and the martyrdom of a number of our country’s commanders and military advisors in Syria, the IRGC’s Aerospace Division launched tens of missiles and drones against certain targets inside the occupied territories.”

It also closed the statement by quoting verse 126 of Surah Al-Imran: “No victory is real unless it is from God, the Majestic and All-wise.”

Later in the morning, Iran’s permanent mission to the UN said that the “The matter can be considered as concluded.”

The mission, however, warned that if the Israeli regime perpetrated another mistake, Iran’s subsequent response could be “remarkably more intense.

Source: Agencies