US INTEL INDICATES IRAN PLANS TO STRIKE ISRAELI TARGET WITH CRUISE MISSILES, DRONES IN COMING WEEK: REPORT

Iran’s Shahed drone was first used by Tehran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, and is now being used extensively by Russia against Ukrainian targets.

It flies at about 115mph, and is designed to operate in swarms, overwhelming defense systems.

It has an eight-foot wingspan and carries a 100lb warhead which is detonated when the drone crashes into its target.

Senior Iranian figures have promised to take action against Israel.

‘We will reciprocate when we want,’ said Hussein Akbari, the Iranian ambassador to Syria whose residence was destroyed by the attack.

And Friday brought a public outpouring of anger in Tehran with a funeral for the seven IRGC members killed earlier in the week. 

Meanwhile, a senior Iranian diplomat claimed that Washington had asked Tehran to avoid targeting American facilities. 

‘In a written message, the Islamic Republic of Iran warns US leadership not to get dragged in Netanyahu’s trap for US: Stay away so you won’t get hurt,’ said Mohammad Jamshidi, the deputy chief of staff for political affairs to Iran’s president, in a post on X.

‘In response US asked Iran not to target American facilities.’

White House national security John Kirby said the issue came up in the Thursday phone call between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

‘There was discussion between the two leaders about the very viable and quite public threat Iran is making to Israel’s security in the last day or so, and the president made very clear — very clear — to Prime Minister Netanyahu that he can count on U.S. support to help them in their self-defense against threats directly and publicly posed by Iran,’ Kirby told reporters. 

Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group think-tank said on Thursday that Tehran’s leaders were under pressure to act. 

‘Iran can’t afford not to respond, lest its military presence in the region become unsustainable and signal weakness to its chief regional foe,’ he said.

The head of Lebanon’s armed group Hezbollah said the strike marked a ‘turning point’ since Oct. 7, when Palestinian group Hamas launched an attack on Israel that has led to escalating regional tensions.

‘Be certain, be sure, that the Iranian response to the targeting of the consulate in Damascus is definitely coming against Israel,’ he said, according to Reuters.