U.S. troops shot down Iranian attack drones targeting Israel amid Tehran’s highly previewed retaliation for Israel’s airstrikes killing senior Iranian military commanders, a defense official told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Iran launched an attack on Israel using at least dozens of explosive one-way attack drones, likely Shaheds, earlier on Saturday, Axios reported, although the drones would still take hours to travel from their launch point to targets in Israel. It was unclear how many drones U.S. troops shot down or where the interceptions took place, and efforts to defend Israel from oncoming aerial attacks are ongoing, the defense official confirmed.

“U.S. forces in the region continue to shoot down Iranian-launched drones targeting Israel,” the defense official said. “Our forces remain postured to provide additional defensive support and to protect U.S. forces operating in the region.”

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also claimed to have fired cruise missiles at targets in Israel, according to Axios. Israel, the U.S. and partners strategized to take down as many as possible before they entered Israeli airspace.

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Iran threatened to retaliate against U.S. troops stationed in the Middle East if the Biden administration intervened in defense of Israel ahead of or during an attack. On Friday, the U.S. moved new military assets to the region to bolster deterrence and prepare for any contingencies that might require a military response, a defense official told the DCNF.

First visual sight of an Iranian attack drone over southern Iraq, headed towards Israel.

Appears to be a Shahed-136, used heavily by the Russians against Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/WXUQVzn3uj

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) April 13, 2024

The White House National Security Council confirmed late Saturday afternoon that Iran had begun an “airborne attack” against Israel, according to a statement. Biden was being briefed regularly on the situation and maintaining communication with Israeli leaders as well as other countries.

“This attack is likely to unfold over a number of hours. President Biden has been clear: our support for Israel’s security is ironclad,” the statement read.

Tehran, via its Mission to the United Nations, claimed its military response to Israel had been completed.

“Conducted on the strength of Article 51 of the UN Charter pertaining to legitimate defense, Iran’s military action was in response to the Zionist regime’s aggression against our diplomatic premises in Damascus. The matter can be deemed concluded,” the statement read.

“However, should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran’s response will be considerably more severe. It is a conflict between Iran and the rogue Israeli regime, from which the U.S. MUST STAY AWAY!,” it continued.