Israeli air and naval forces intercepted more than 20 unmanned aerial vehicles launched from Iran over the past several hours, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Sunday.
“In the past hour alone, the Air Force intercepted approximately 20 UAVs launched toward Israeli territory,” the IDF said in a public update.
Earlier in the day, seven drones were downed by Israeli air and naval units over the Mediterranean and the Negev region.
The escalation comes amid increased Iranian drone and missile activity, with repeated launches toward Israeli airspace since the start of the week. The IDF reports that all UAVs intercepted so far were neutralized without damage to civilian areas.
חיל-האוויר יירט בשעה האחרונה כ-20 כלי טיס בלתי מאוישים ששוגרו לעבר שטח הארץ pic.twitter.com/3FJU8rFto2
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) June 15, 2025
As of Sunday morning, the Israeli government had not issued a statement on the expected duration of Operation Rising Lion, but military officials have indicated that operations are likely to continue in waves over the coming days.
This is the most extensive direct military confrontation between the two countries in recent years, and the IDF’s ability to neutralize inbound threats while simultaneously striking across hundreds of miles signals a shift in both posture and capability.