Israel Intercepts Cruise Missile Launched From Iraq

Israeli media is reporting on a dangerous escalation after the military announced it shot down an inbound projectile which came "from the east" - which is a phrase typically used by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to describe attacks from Iraq.

Time of Israel is describing "cruise missiles" fired from Iraq and shot down over northern Israel on Thursday. The inbound projectiles were initially thought to be drones. Other Israeli outlets pointed to a single cruise missile inbound over Israel and possibly accompanied by drones, however.

There were no injuries, nor were there any claims of responsibility, but Israeli officials are eyeing the Iran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which is a coalition in Iraq associated with the country's Popular Mobilization Forces.

However, there was a statement about drones being sent. "Following the interceptions, the pro-Iranian militias in Iraq claimed to have launched drones towards Eilat," Israel National News (Arutz Sheva) reported.

"Earlier today, following sirens regarding a hostile aircraft infiltration in the Golan Heights area, the IDF intercepted a cruise missile that approached Israel from the east," the IDF said.

The IDF continued, "Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in the Eilat area, an IAF fighter jet, together with the IDF Aerial Defense Array, successfully intercepted two hostile aircraft that approached Israeli territory from the east, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said."

While Iran's Shia paramilitary forces have been relatively quiet of late, especially compared to the opening months of the Gaza war when they sent drones and mortars regularly against US bases in the region, this could be a response to some of the recent Israeli attacks on Syria and southern Lebanon.

Wednesday saw an Israeli airstrike hit deep inside Syria, in Baniyas city, though it's unclear what the precise target was. Syrian government sources said a girl was killed and ten civilians wounded in the attack.

Israeli sources have long claimed the IDF airstrikes in Syria are geared toward disrupting Iranian operations there, but Damascus says it is a brazen violation of Syria's sovereignty.