Israel-Hamas war: What happened on day 189?

Iran launched hundreds of drones directly from its territory against Israel on Saturday night, in a radical change from its usual use of proxies, the IDF has confirmed.

Iran has confirmed as well that its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has begun its missile and drone attack against Israel.

The IDF said that it is ready to shoot them down, though air defense is not hermetic.

Iranian Shahed-136 kamikaze UAV over Iraq at very low altitude, heading to Israel. pic.twitter.com/HpWeqXMMep

— Clash Report (@clashreport) April 13, 2024

The IDF's shoot-down capabilities include aircraft, Iron Dome, David's Sling, and the Arrow missile system.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with US President Joe Biden early Sunday morning about the Iranian drone and missile attack against Israel overnight.

Biden said he reaffirmed "America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel" in his conversation with Netanyahu, adding that "Israel demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks – sending a clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten the security of Israel," according to a readout from the White House.

The US president added that he would convene leaders of the G7 to coordinate a "united diplomatic response to Iran's brazen attack."

"My team will engage with their counterparts across the region. And we will stay in close touch with Israel’s leaders. And while we have not seen attacks on our forces or facilities today, we will remain vigilant to all threats and will not hesitate to take all necessary action to protect our people," added Biden.

Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli called for regime change in Iran after the barrage of suicide drones launched at Israel by the Islamic state on Saturday night.

"Tonight we learned that Iran's Islamic terror regime is weaker than ever," said Chikli. "Our freedom-loving brothers in Iran, now is the time to act, and with God's help, we will soon bring a new dawn to Iran."

Chikli shared on social media the remarks of the son of the deposed Iranian Shah, who said that the fates of Iranians and Israelis were intertwined by common hopes of peace and the common enemy of the Islamic republic.

Former President Donald Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social on Saturday night as US forces helped Israel intercept Iranian missiles and UAVs launched at Israel. 

"ISRAEL IS UNDER ATTACK!" Trump wrote. "This should never have been allowed to happen - This would NEVER have happened if I were President!"

Trump falsely claimed "his truth" is the reason why President Joe Biden left his home in Wilmington, Delaware to return to the White House as the situation unfolded. 

"Due to universal outrage, and my TRUTH, Crooked Joe Biden has been forced to go back to the White House tonight, instead of tomorrow. Good!" Trump said. 

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned Iran’s drone and missile attack on Israel early Sunday morning, as the combined forces of the US, Jordan, and British armies fought alongside Israel to protect the Jewish state.

“I strongly condemn the serious escalation represented by the large-scale attack launched on Israel by the Islamic Republic of Iran this evening. I call for an immediate cessation of these hostilities,” Guterres stated in a post on X.

“I am deeply alarmed about the very real danger of a devastating region-wide escalation,” he said, as he urged “maximum restraint to avoid any action that could lead to major military confrontations on multiple fronts in the Middle East.

Republican lawmakers have taken to social media in the hours since Iran announced it launched dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel to condemn President Joe Biden's foreign policy regarding both Iran and Israel. 

Sen. John Barrasso, a Wyoming Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said President Biden's failure to stand firmly with Israel is playing right into the hands of Iran and its network of terrorists. 

Barasso said Senate Republicans' support for Israel will never waver. 

Tennessee Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty, another member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Iran's "direct & unprecedented attack against Israel shows that Biden's Middle East policies have failed to achieve deterrence & instead enabled and emboldened Iran."

Pro-Palestinian activists praised Iran for launching drones at Israel on Saturday night, arguing that Israel deserved the strike and that the Islamic State was defending itself from the Jewish state.

MMA fighter Jake Shields said that Iran had the right to self-defense in response to an alleged Israeli Monday airstrike in Syria that killed top Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) personnel.

Journalist Mariam Barghouti said that the strikes came after Israel had rejected a ceasefire with Hamas and launched attacks on Palestinians.

"Iran, like Yemen, are the only states with guts to break Israel’s impunity," said Barghouti.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with US President Joe Biden early Sunday morning about the Iranian drone and missile attack against Israel overnight.

Israel is deeply grateful to the United States for its steadfast support and ironclad commitment to its security at this critical moment, Israel's ambassador to the US Michael Herzog said Saturday night in a statement on X. 

Herzog called Iran's attack which included hundreds of missiles and UAVs "unprecedented."

"Iran has been the most destabilizing force in the Middle East for decades and is responsible for the violent escalation the region has seen, beginning on October 7th and ever since," Herzog said.

"It should - and must - be held accountable." Herzog said Israel will "do whatever it takes" to defend itself.

Pro-Palestinian activists cheered Iran for launching suicide drones at Israel during a Saturday march in Toronto, according to video by lawyer Carmya Sa'd.

Protesters react to breaking news of Iran launching drones at Israel in retaliatory attack for a strike which killed a top Iranian commander.#cdnpoli #Toronto #Palestine #Israel #Gaza #ProtestMania pic.twitter.com/VZHyTcmuZi

— Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Satirist (@CarymaRules) April 13, 2024

During the Eid Unity March in downtown Toronto, a protest leader interrupted the demonstration to announce that "The Islamic republic of Iran has just sent tens of drones towards Israel!"

The crowd erupted in celebration, and the protest leader led them in shouts of "Allahu Akbar!"

"This has come as a direct response to the bombing of Israel to Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon, Israel has bombed multiple countries," said the protest leader.

Thornhill MP Melissa Lantsman said that the display showed that "It was never about a ceasefire."

People carry a Palestinian flag during a rally in front of City Hall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada October 9, 2023. (credit: REUTERS/Kyaw Soe Oo)

"Support for terror against western democracy spilled into the streets of our country 6 months ago and governments across Canada did nothing," said Lantsman.

Jewish organizations respond to celebrations

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said on social media that the responses to the Iranian attack was "sickening, but not surprising."

"A regime oppressive of women, LGBTQ, minorities, that spreads terror across the MidEast & the world, is heroic when their targets are Jewish people," remarked CIJA.

Protesters could be seen in videos posted by pro-Palestinian groups dressed in military fatigues, wearing bandoliers for smoke grenades, and one protesters was wearing a black combat vest.

"There is only one solution, Intifada revolution," said protesters in a Pal.esign Instagram story.

Ottawa 4 Palestine posted an Instagram story on Saturday in which activists chanted "Intifada, Intifada, long live the Intifada."

Protesters praised the "resistance" as legitimate in several videos, and called out "from the river to the seas, Palestine is almost free."

"From the water to the water, Palestine is Arab," demonstrators said in one Arabic chant.

In a Pal.esign video, protesters held the canadian flag upside down, and warned that they would shut down the whole "system" if they didn't get what they wanted.

The Eid March was a demonstrations organized by several pro-Palestinian organizations from across Canada, including Ottawa 4 Palestine and Montreal for Palestine.

"Our people in Gaza are not able to celebrate Eid this year as usual - due to the ongoing genocide and constant bombardment," Ottawa 4 Palestine said on Instagram on Thursday. "We have officially entered the 7th month of this genocide, it is imperative that we show the people of Gaza we stand side by side with them and won’t be celebrating like normal this year either."