Watch: Protesters in Chicago Erupt in Cheers After Iran Launches Attack on Israel

Self-described anti-war activists in Chicago cheered after learning that Iran had launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel on Saturday.

Iran launched a barrage of more than 300 missiles and drones at Israel in an apparent response to Israel’s reported role in an airstrike that killed a senior Iranian official in the country’s embassy in the Syrian capital of Damascus last week.

On Saturday, a group of self-described anti-war activists, including March On DNC 2024 and Anti War Chicago, were gathered in Chicago when a man announced news of the attack on Israel.

“Twelve days ago, Israel brazenly hit an Iranian embassy compound in Syria, violating international law again … and Iran has just responded about 30 minutes ago,” the man told the group, who responded with cheers. “They’ve sent, and this is from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard directly, they’ve sent drones and missiles against specific targets in occupied Palestine, Israeli targets in occupied Palestine.

“In addition, there are reports of drones having been fired on Israel from Yemen and Iraq as well,” the man said.

Once again, the room erupted in cheers.

The man speaking then called on the group to take action, saying that “this country and the world needs us,” adding the U.S. is going to “defend the criminal Israeli state.”

Those in attendance were heard booing at the notion the U.S. was going to get involved and defend Israel.

“We have to assume the United States is going to retaliate against Iran,” he said. “Our anti-war movement, all of the anti-war communities here and all of the Palestine support coalitions here, must be ready, immediately, to be out in the streets and to stop the U.S. from expanding this war on Iran.”

In another video posted to Instagram by Anti War Chicago and March On DNC 2024, one of the speakers is seen standing and smiling behind a podium as a crowd is heard chanting, “Hands off Iran! Hands off Iran!”

Israel had been preparing for a possible retaliatory strike by Iran, claiming that roughly 99% of the Iranian weapons fired at Israel had been intercepted by its sophisticated defense systems and military allies in the region.

Biden warned last week that an attack on Israel by Iran was possible over the weekend, giving the Islamic Republic a single message: “Don’t.”

Despite the president’s attempt to deter the Islamic Republic, Iran carried out its brazen attempt, which some Republicans blame on Biden’s “weakness.”