Current location:politics >>
Feature: Eerie calm before storm
politics854People have gathered around
IntroductionCAIRO/JERUSALEM/TEHRAN, April 15 (Xinhua) -- In the wee hours of Sunday morning, cramped in safe roo ...
CAIRO/JERUSALEM/TEHRAN, April 15 (Xinhua) -- In the wee hours of Sunday morning, cramped in safe rooms and bomb shelters, Israelis restlessly tracked a forewarned, almost live-broadcasted Iranian strike on their cellphones until air raid sirens and loud booms broke the eerie quiet of the night.
Now after more than 24 hours, raid-related restrictions have all been lifted in Israel. But the strange experience of seeing a massive air attack unfolding from the fingertip to above their heads left many Israelis with a sour aftertaste.
On Saturday, around 11 p.m. local time (2000 GMT) in Israel, Iran announced the launching of missiles and drones toward Israel. The Israeli military immediately confirmed the attack, stressing air defense systems were prepared to protect citizens.
By then, schools were closed, flights were grounded, and outdoor gatherings were banned. The swarm of missiles and drones was reported to take hours to reach Israeli territory. Millions in Israel watched the developments intently on their TVs and cellphones.
Snapshots of aviation tracker apps circulating on social media displayed a conspicuous absence in the skies of some neighboring countries. Then one post after another popped up, updating drones' locations from Iraq and Syria to Jordan in real time.
"It was a strange feeling, knowing that something will be coming and knowing even when it will arrive, but having the final result still being 'up in the air,' " Josh, a 35-year-old Israeli man, described his experience of the night to Xinhua, with a witty pun.
Warfare in the era of social media has been a new experience to many, even for Josh. He indicated that the overnight "online countdown" of Iran's attack, in addition to more than six months of information overload on the conflict in the Gaza Strip, was nerve-wracking.
"I don't know if the country will wake up to 3,000 killed or to a bit of relief at the success of intercepting all of them (drones and missiles)," said Josh.
As Israelis waited with bated breath, Iranians took to the streets in celebration, even as the missiles and drones were still en route. Waving Iranian and Palestinian flags, they honked and cheered while driving through Tehran's center.
Finally, at around 2 a.m. local time on Sunday in Jerusalem, massive explosions illuminated Israel's sky. The thunderous sounds of interceptions were resounding. Fiery streaks, resembling a meteor shower, slowly traversed the city's skyline before disappearing over the horizon. The wait was over.
The aerial duel, visible to the naked eye, attracted many Israelis to take videos and post them on social media.
The Israeli military said on Sunday that it intercepted about 99 percent of the more than 300 missiles and drones Iran launched late Saturday in its first direct attack against Israel.
The Iranian side, however, claimed that 50 percent of its drones and missiles have successfully reached their targets, claiming the attack a victory.
The airstrike on Israel represents a historic moment as two long-standing adversaries in the Middle East, entangled in decades of proxy conflicts and espionage, now confront each other directly.
Tensions between Iran and Israel have escalated over the past six months, particularly concerning the Gaza conflict, which has claimed the lives of over 33,700 Palestinians. The situation reached a critical juncture when Israel launched an attack on the Iranian consular building in Damascus, Syria, on April 1, resulting in the deaths of seven Iranian officials.
"The Iranians believed the airstrike was a rightful revenge for what happened in Damascus," said a Chinese man who had been working in Iran for two years.
Requesting anonymity, he told Xinhua that despite the sense of victory displayed on the streets and sung highly by the authorities, the atmosphere remained tense in the country.
"Schools are closed, and numerous flights have been canceled," he noted, expressing concern over a potential Israeli counterattack that could drastically alter life there.
On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said Iran at this moment no longer sought to continue its retaliatory military operations against Israel. However, how Israel will react takes the attention of the world as the international community dreads the possibility of large-scale conflict between the two regional powers.
Expressing hope for de-escalation, an Iranian man, who asked to be anonymous, told Xinhua on a street in Tehran that "waging war is not in the interests of any party, and all disputes should be resolved through diplomatic channels rather than the use of force." ■
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“Culture Canvas news portal”。http://tokelau.brianlynch.org/html-23c099899.html
Related articles
Saudi Arabia is going to sponsor the WTA women's tennis rankings under a new partnership
politicsNEW YORK (AP) — Saudi Arabia’s move into tennis will now include a multiyear deal to sponsor the WTA ...
【politics】
Read moreBeijing confirms missing Taiwan publisher Li Yanhe is under national security investigation
politicsA Taiwanese publisher reported missing while visiting Shanghai is under investigation for suspected ...
【politics】
Read morePublic servants want to know if management positions will be on the chopping block
politicsPhoto: RNZ ...
【politics】
Read more
Popular articles
- 'Constantly learning' Imanaga off to impressive start with the Chicago Cubs
- Chinese warships sail around Japan as tensions rise ahead of G7 summit
- MPs pay not a decision for politicians
- Hong Kong down to earth designer Niko Leung crafts ceramics from construction waste
- Not so Cool Britannia! Noel Gallagher gives damning verdict on Keir Starmer
- Iceland violent volcanic flare
Latest articles
Burglar hurled stolen mobile phones at police from the top of 60ft high roof during nine
Hainan island: Known as 'China's Hawaii,' the vacation hotspot is also a strategic military base
How homeowners are responding to huge insurance premium hikes
It's about to get more difficult for Americans to visit Brazil
Bella Hadid goes braless in a thigh
Pressure grows on Angela Rayner to quit as Labour deputy leader over housing row police probe
LINKS
- Country makes solar affordable worldwide
- Wisconsin middle school shooting: Suspect identified as 14
- Chinese shipbuilding enterprise to build 18 ultra
- Chinese embassy urges US, UK and Australia to stop forming exclusionary blocs
- China, Vietnam hold 8th border defense friendship exchange
- Japan PM Kishida sends offering to notorious war
- Japan PM Kishida sends offering to notorious war
- A wild orangutan used a medicinal plant to treat a wound, scientists say
- So you've lost weight using Wegovy. Does that mean you can stop taking it?
- Kenya evacuates tourists stuck in flooded wildlife sanctuary