Israel says Iran has begun attacks
Jordan’s air defence ready to shoot down any Iranian aircraft that violate its airspace
Reuters, citing two regional security sources, reports that Jordan’s air defences are ready to intercept and shoot down any Iranian drones or aircraft that violate its airspace.
The sources said the army was also in a state of high alert, and radar systems were monitoring drone activity.
Iraq closes its airspace
Iraq’s Transport Ministry has announced that the country’s airspace is now closed.
The management of Erbil International Airport also confirmed in a press statement that the decision to close Iraqi airspace also included the Kurdish region of Iraq.
Israeli airspace set to close
Israeli airspace will be closed to arrivals and departures as of 22:30 GMT, according to the national airports authority.
Iran has launched extensive drone strikes against Israel: Iran’s Press TV
Iranian press TV says Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards have launched extensive drone strikes against targets in Israel.
The English-language media outlet cited Iranian sources.
White House says Iran has begun airborne attack against Israel
Washington says Iran has begun an airborne attack against Israel that is likely to unfold over a number of hours.
National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement that President Joe Biden is regularly updated by his national security team and is in constant communication with Israeli officials, US partners, and allies.
Most airlines will want to avoid the airspace around Israel: Expert
Airline safety and security expert Todd Curtis spoke to Al Jazeera about why countries such as Jordan have closed their airspace due to the threat of drones headed for Israel.
He said it was out of “an abundance of caution” adding that “the kinds of aircraft that apparently heading toward Israel aren’t necessarily targeting airliners or their aircraft”.
“However, there are going to be a lot of unknowns in this situation, including any sort of defensive activity on the part of Israel and others,” he said.
He said most airliners and most airline management companies would want to avoid certain pockets of airspace in the region “simply because of the hazard that exists” not just from military activity but also from reported GPS system jamming.
Netanyahu says Israel prepared for ‘direct attack from Iran’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel is prepared for a “direct attack from Iran”.
“Our defence systems are deployed; we are prepared for any scenario, both in defence and attack,” he said in a televised statement, adding that Israel had the backing of the United States and “many” countries.
Iran has launched drones at Israel, will take hours to arrive: Israeli military
The Israeli forces say that sirens will sound in any areas that are threatened by the drones.
UAVs launched from Iran bound for Israel: Reports
We are getting reports that UAVs have been launched from Iran and are headed for Israel.
Israel’s Channel 12 TV news reports that Iran has launched dozens of pilotless aircraft at targets in Israel and that their flight time was expected to take hours.
An expert interviewed by the channel, retired General Amos Yadlin, said the drones were equipped with 20kg of explosives each and that Israel’s air defences were ready to shoot them down.
Barak Ravid, a political reporter for Axios, posted on X that Iran has launched an attack against Israel using dozens of drones, citing four US and Israeli officials.
Jordan to temporarily close airspace
The Jordanian Civil Aviation Regulatory Authority says the country will close its airspace from 11pm local time (20:00 GMT) to ensure the safety and security of civil aviation.
The Chairman of the Board of Commissioners for the authority, Haitham Misto, said that air traffic in Jordan was affected as a result of interference in the GPS system, which prompted aircraft to use alternative systems
The Jordanian Telecommunications Regulatory Authority said it had addressed the relevant authorities in “two neighbouring countries” to stop interference with GPS systems and is awaiting a response.
Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, and Lebanon have reported disruptions to civilian air traffic due to disturbances in GPS systems.
The news comes amid warnings of an Iranian retaliation to an Israeli air raid on an Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, on April 1.
The Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari stated earlier that dozens of combat planes were airborne as part of a state of readiness.
Hamas hands over truce response
Hamas has released a statement in which it says it has handed over its response to the ceasefire proposal it received last Monday to mediators in Egypt and Qatar.
It said it stood by its demands for:
- A permanent ceasefire.
- The withdrawal of the Israeli army from the entire Gaza Strip.
- The return of displaced Palestinians to their areas and places of residence.
- An increase in the entry of relief and aid to the enclave.
- The start of reconstruction in the Gaza Strip.
The group also affirmed its “readiness to conclude a deal and “a serious and real exchange of prisoners between the two parties”.
Netanyahu had several objectives with the Iranian consulate attack
Sultan Barakat, professor in conflict and humanitarian studies at Qatar Foundation’s Hamad Bin Khalifa University, spoke to Al Jazeera about what Benjamin Netanyahu hoped to achieve with the April 1 attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria.
He said the Israeli prime minister had the following objectives:
- Extend the status of war and, with it, the emergency rules that keep him in power, for now, by reminding everyone that Iran will retaliate as a threat.
- He’s also managed to silence the little criticism that had started to come from Washington concerning his operations in Gaza. It’s very unlikely that anyone there will say anything against Israel over the coming few days.
- He’s also going to accelerate the delivery of the weapons that Biden has promised, including the critical F-35 jet fighters.
- Critically, he is also going to silence the opposition within his own country. He will stop the right of demonstrations on the basis that Israelis are all under the threat of Iran.
Iraq closes its airspace
Iraq’s Transport Ministry has announced that the country’s airspace is now closed.
The management of Erbil International Airport also confirmed in a press statement that the decision to close Iraqi airspace also included the Kurdish region of Iraq.
Jordan’s air defence ready to shoot down any Iranian aircraft that violate its airspace
Reuters, citing two regional security sources, reports that Jordan’s air defences are ready to intercept and shoot down any Iranian drones or aircraft that violate its airspace.
The sources said the army was also in a state of high alert, and radar systems were monitoring drone activity.
Iraq closes its airspace
Iraq’s Transport Ministry has announced that the country’s airspace is now closed.
The management of Erbil International Airport also confirmed in a press statement that the decision to close Iraqi airspace also included the Kurdish region of Iraq.
Israeli airspace set to close
Israeli airspace will be closed to arrivals and departures as of 22:30 GMT, according to the national airports authority.
Iran has launched extensive drone strikes against Israel: Iran’s Press TV
Iranian press TV says Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards have launched extensive drone strikes against targets in Israel.
The English-language media outlet cited Iranian sources.
White House says Iran has begun airborne attack against Israel
Washington says Iran has begun an airborne attack against Israel that is likely to unfold over a number of hours.
National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement that President Joe Biden is regularly updated by his national security team and is in constant communication with Israeli officials, US partners, and allies.
Most airlines will want to avoid the airspace around Israel: Expert
Airline safety and security expert Todd Curtis spoke to Al Jazeera about why countries such as Jordan have closed their airspace due to the threat of drones headed for Israel.
He said it was out of “an abundance of caution” adding that “the kinds of aircraft that apparently heading toward Israel aren’t necessarily targeting airliners or their aircraft”.
“However, there are going to be a lot of unknowns in this situation, including any sort of defensive activity on the part of Israel and others,” he said.
He said most airliners and most airline management companies would want to avoid certain pockets of airspace in the region “simply because of the hazard that exists” not just from military activity but also from reported GPS system jamming.
Most airlines will want to avoid the airspace around Israel: Expert
Airline safety and security expert Todd Curtis spoke to Al Jazeera about why countries such as Jordan have closed their airspace due to the threat of drones headed for Israel.
He said it was out of “an abundance of caution” adding that “the kinds of aircraft that apparently heading toward Israel aren’t necessarily targeting airliners or their aircraft”.
“However, there are going to be a lot of unknowns in this situation, including any sort of defensive activity on the part of Israel and others,” he said.
He said most airliners and most airline management companies would want to avoid certain pockets of airspace in the region “simply because of the hazard that exists” not just from military activity but also from reported GPS system jamming.
Iran has launched drones at Israel, will take hours to arrive: Israeli military
The Israeli forces say that sirens will sound in any areas that are threatened by the drones.
UAVs launched from Iran bound for Israel: Reports
We are getting reports that UAVs have been launched from Iran and are headed for Israel.
Israel’s Channel 12 TV news reports that Iran has launched dozens of pilotless aircraft at targets in Israel and that their flight time was expected to take hours.
An expert interviewed by the channel, retired General Amos Yadlin, said the drones were equipped with 20kg of explosives each and that Israel’s air defences were ready to shoot them down.
Barak Ravid, a political reporter for Axios, posted on X that Iran has launched an attack against Israel using dozens of drones, citing four US and Israeli officials.
