Iran launched 170 drones and 30 cruise missiles into Israel on Saturday. Only a few of the more than 120 ballistic missiles fired in the attack crossed into Israeli territory.

The projectiles were also launched from Iraq, Syria and Yemen, where Tehran has allied militias. The combination of both ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as their launch from different countries, was designed to "confuse and overwhelm Israel's anti-aircraft defenses," says the Institute of War Studies. The joint nature of the response – with the participation of other countries – shows the importance of Israel's military allies, says the Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari. The attack appears to have been the main target of the Nevat air base, which houses the most advanced American-made fighter jets, he adds. The Israeli army has released a video of the moment in which they shot down drones and missiles. The explosions that were heard are typical of interceptions by the anti-missile shield, which is only activated when the projectile goes towards populated areas and ignores those that go to uninhabited spaces.