If it rains in Israel, there’ll be a biblical flood on the other side
– ISRAELI DEFENCE CHIEF YESTERDAY
DEEP inside the Golan Heights, the first sign of danger was the wail of sirens in the early hours.
Over the years, they have become used to attacks here. But this one was different. For the first time, Iranian forces deliberately fired 20 missiles into the Israeli-held territory from inside neighbouring Syria.
Israel reacted immediately, launching is “biggest military response in decades” – striking 50 military targets.
In the most direct confrontation between the two countries to date, the enemies exchanged fire for several hours.
Issuing a stark warning, Israel’s Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said: “If it rains in Israel, there will be a biblical flood on the other side.”
He added: “We are now facing a new reality, one in which Iran... is trying to attack Israel, to harm our territory. And it won’t happen.
“I hope we finished this chapter and everyone got the message.”
Shortly after dawn, at a border point near the village of Merom Golan, I watched two soldiers climb out of a bunker following their night-time guard duty.
Clutching green sleeping bags and Uzi submachine guns, they looked shattered.
One said: “It was five hours of constant missiles. It never seemed to stop. Tonight, who knows what will happen?”
In many nearby towns, families evacuated to bomb shelters when they heard the sirens. Earlier in the
week all be imminent midnight, local Shortly Jerusalem prepared authorities attack. the ordered for after army an to entering roads moved and any in prevent to potentially seal cars off dangerous But there areas. was a sense of heightened fear among locals because of direct Iranian involvement for the first time. Shop owner and seamstress Drurit Kaufman, 67, who works barely a
mile from the border, said: “I’m more concerned this time just because the Iranians are involved. That makes it slightly different from times in the past.
“I’m a little afraid but I am confident that the Israeli army can handle it.”
Doctor Idit Shub, 38, is in the area organising a series of cycle races. She said: “We’ve just decided to postpone them for three weeks. Cycling should be about fun, not about missiles.”
There is a large Israeli army presence in Golan. Dozens of troops patrolled roads and I counted 12 tanks in a compound three miles from the border.
Of the 20 missiles fired towards Golan, four were shot down by the Israeli defence system called the Iron Dome. The rest appeared to fall short of their targets and no injuries were reported.
Yesterday’s clash came barely 24 hours after US president Donald Trump’s decision to rip up the Iran nuclear deal. Israelis insisted they had no doubt who was responsible.
Brigadier General Ronen Manelis, spokesman for the Israeli Defence Forces, said: “This was an Iranian event and a significant event, and it will not be
tolerated.” and said exchange 1973 Israel Israeli Yom to The counter be in Kippur said Iranian Syria the war. since attack it barrage largest had the is targets successfully all struck linked dozens to the of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Quds Force. They included intelligence sites, logistics headquarters, a military compound, weapons storage sites, intelligence systems and installations, as well as observation, military posts and military hardware. The Iranian launcher
It was five hours of missiles. It never seemed to stop. Who knows what’ll happen tonight? ISRAELI SOLDIER ON LEAVING HIS BUNKER YESTERDAY MORNING