Tel Aviv: The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Saturday night confirmed that Iran has launched drone attacks at Israel, which are likely to reach near Israeli territory in a few hours. It is being claimed that the Iran attack on Israel using dozens of drones has come up in response to an attack on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus.

After days of anticipation that Iran was preparing to attack Israel in retaliation for a strike which killed a top Iranian commander, Iran too has confirmed the attack.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country's defence systems have been deployed and that Israel's armed forces were ready.

"I established a clear principle - whoever hurts us, we hurt him. We will protect ourselves from any threat and we will do so with coolness and determination," he said.

Confirming the reports, the Israel Defence Forces stated, “Iran launched UAVs from within its territory toward Israel a short while ago. The IDF is on high alert and is constantly monitoring the operational situation.”

“The IDF Aerial Defense Array is on high alert, along with IAF fighter jets and Israeli Navy vessels that are on a defense mission in Israeli air and naval space. The IDF is monitoring all targets,” the IDF added.

It further added that the general public should follow the instructions of the Home Front Command and the official IDF announcements regarding the matter.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the multi-service primary branch of the Iranian Armed Forces, also confirmed the attack on Israel, saying, “In response to the Zionist regime's crime in attacking the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus, the Revolutionary Guards Air Force hit certain targets in the territories of the Zionist regime with dozens of drones and missiles."