According to officials, US forces have shot down some of the drones launched by Iran that were flying towards Israel.
A defense official said cnn that the troops had managed to shoot down the drones as part of their “ironclad commitment” to Israel.
The official said: “Consistent with our strong commitment to Israel’s security, US forces in the region continue to shoot down drones launched by Iran that are targeting Israel.”
“Our forces remain positioned to provide additional defensive support and protect U.S. forces operating in the region.”
Fox News reported that another official confirmed to them that the US military had managed to shoot down “dozens” of drones.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has now issued a chilling warning to the United States saying that any action by the United States would provoke a “reciprocal” response.
One view shows drones or missiles competing for targets at undisclosed locations in northern Israel.
Objects seen in the sky over Jerusalem after Iran launches drones and missiles towards Israel
In a statement, the IRGC said: “Any threat by the terrorist state of the United States and the Zionist regime of any country will be followed by a reciprocal and proportional response from the Islamic Republic of Iran to the source of the threat.”
In addition to drone interception, the United States sent the warship Bataan and two support ships with 2,500 Marines on board to the eastern Mediterranean.
US congressional sources say the amphibious warship Bataan is leading a US naval task force in the eastern Mediterranean.
The Bataan has two support ships and together they have around 2,500 marines on board.
The United States also has several guided missile destroyers, including the Carney, in the area.
Additionally, the United States has two destroyers and a cruiser in the Red Sea that are fully armed with anti-missile weapons and are also under orders to shoot down any Israeli missiles or drones.
Missiles have begun entering Israeli airspace and images show that some of them were intercepted by the Iron Dome system over Jerusalem.
Israel’s military spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said Iran launched dozens of missiles at Israel, most of which were intercepted outside Israeli borders.
The Iranian salvo amounted to more than 200 drones and missiles so far, Hagari said, and caused minor damage to an Israeli military facility.
Biden is seen here walking to the Oval Office after returning from Delaware to consult with his national security team.
Shortly after news broke of the attacks on Israel by Iranian forces, President Biden was rushed to the White House from Delaware for a national security meeting, as seen here.
US bases in Iraq have been placed on high alert and will also attempt to shoot down missiles and drones aimed at Israel.
The Israeli military later said it was not advising any residents to prepare to take shelter, revising an earlier alert in what appeared to signal the end of the threat.
Israel’s Channel 12 television quoted an unnamed Israeli official as saying there would be a “significant response” to the attack.
Shortly after news broke of the attacks on Israel by Iranian forces, President Biden was rushed to the White House from Delaware.
In a post for X, he said: ‘I just met with my national security team to get an update on Iran’s attacks on Israel.
“Our commitment to Israel’s security against threats from Iran and its proxies is ironclad.”
Iran had threatened to hit back at Israel over an attack in Syria, which Tehran said was an Israeli airstrike on an Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowed retaliation following the attack on Damascus, for which Tel-Aviv has yet to take responsibility.
The April 1 attack destroyed Iran’s consulate building in the city and killed seven Revolutionary Guards, including the two generals.