French Rafale Fighter Jets Destroyed Iranian Drones During Recent Attack on Israel.

On April 15, 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on the BFMTV network that French forces, utilizing Rafale jets, had neutralized Iranian drones overflying Jordan and Iraq, thus contributing to Israel's defense. He confirmed that the French aircraft had taken off at the request of Jordan to intercept the Iranian drones, though he did not provide further details on the number of devices intercepted.
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Since early March, as part of Operation Chammal, a component of the anti-jihadist coalition Inherent Resolve, four Rafale B jets from the 4th Fighter Wing have been stationed at the forward air base H5 in Jordan (Picture source: French MoD )

During the night of April 13-14, 2024, Israel was subjected to a significant attack by Iran, involving at least 300 missiles and drones. This offensive followed an Israeli Air Force strike on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus on April 1, 2024. In response, Israeli air defenses, supported by Iron Dome, David's Sling, and Arrow systems, as well as F-35I, F-15, and F-16 fighter jets and direct support from American and British forces, successfully intercepted 99% of the Iranian projectiles.

Before reaching Israel, these missiles passed through Jordanian airspace, which had warned it would shoot down any object violating its territory. While Jordan did indeed shoot down several Iranian drones, French forces stationed there also participated in neutralizing these threats. Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari confirmed that French forces had assisted in countering the attack, following six months of close collaboration with their American, British, and other counterparts.

Since early March, as part of Operation Chammal, a component of the anti-jihadist coalition Inherent Resolve, four Rafale B jets from the 4th Fighter Wing have been stationed at the forward air base H5 in Jordan. These aircraft, configured for air-to-air missions, are equipped with Meteor and MICA IR/EM missiles and a Nexter 30M711 30mm cannon. Although the exact number of drones or missiles destroyed by these Rafales has not been disclosed, the French military command has not made any announcements on this matter, nor about a Houthi drone shot down on March 9 by a Mirage 2000-5 in Djibouti.

The Rafale is a twin-engine, multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by the French aerospace company Dassault Aviation. Distinguished by its delta wing and canard foreplane design, the Rafale is capable of conducting a wide range of short- and long-range missions, including ground and sea attacks, aerial reconnaissance, high-accuracy strikes, and nuclear strike deterrence. The aircraft is equipped with an integrated avionics system, and an electronic warfare system, and is capable of carrying a variety of weapons.

The deployment of Rafales in Jordan marks a significant first in regional and international defense, highlighting the rapid and effective response capability of the French forces against new aerial threats. President Macron emphasized the need to prevent escalation and to convince regional countries of the threat posed by Iran while strengthening sanctions and seeking to establish peace in the area.

Defense News April 2024