Middle East tense as Israel launches attacks on Iran, PM Netanyahu monitors operation; Tehran vows response
Israel conducted military airstrikes on Iranian sites early Saturday, stating it was a response to Tehran’s recent attacks on Israel. This marks the latest escalation in tensions between the two heavily armed adversaries.
Following the strikes, the Israel Defense Forces announced it had completed its operations, fullfilling its objectives. However, a semi-official Iranian news agency warned of a “proportional reaction” in response to Israel’s actions.
Iranian reports detailed multiple explosions throughout the night across Tehran and nearby military installations, beginning shortly after 2 am local time. Israel’s public broadcaster later confirmed that the operation had ended after three waves of strikes.
Iran claimed its air defence systems intercepted Israeli attacks on military targets in Tehran, Khuzestan, and Ilam provinces, with only “limited damage” reported.
The region has been on high alert since Iran launched a ballistic missile barrage on October 1, killing one person in the West Bank. Tensions have risen further since the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, an Iranian-backed Palestinian group, with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon also showing support. Concerns of a regional conflict involving Iran and the US have grown with Israel’s intensifying campaign against Hezbollah, including recent strikes on Beirut and a ground offensive, as well as its ongoing operations in Gaza.
Israel strikes Iran military targets: 10 updates
In a statement, the Israeli military said, “In response to months of continuous attacks from the regime in Iran against the state of Israel – right now the Israel Defense Forces is conducting precise strikes on military targets in Iran.”
The IDF said later it had completed its “targeted” attacks in Iran, striking truck missile manufacturing facilities and surface-to-aerial equipment, adding its planes had safely returned home. “If the regime in Iran were to make the mistake of beginning a new round of escalation, we will be obligated to respond,” the military said.
A US official told news agency Reuters that targets did not include energy infrastructure or Iran’s nuclear facilities.
A senior from the Joe Biden administration said Israel’s “targeted and proportional strikes” should be the end of direct exchange of fire between the two countries, but the US was fully prepared to once again defend Israel if Iran should choose to respond.
Videos carried by Iranian media showed air defences continuously firing at apparently incoming projectiles in central Tehran, without saying which sites were coming under attack.
The semi-official Tasnim news agency said Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps bases that were attacked were not damaged. A spokesperson for Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization said flights on all routes were cancelled until further notice, state news agency IRNA reported. Neighbouring Iraq also suspended all flights until further notice, its state news agency said.
Israel targeted some military sites in Syria’s central and southern parts with airstrikes early on Saturday, Syrian state news agency SANA reported. Israel has not confirmed striking Syria.
Israel said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, defence minister Yoav Gallant and other security officials had closely followed the operation at the military’s command and control centre in Tel Aviv.
Israel’s strikes on Iran happened just as US secretary of state Antony Blinken was arriving back in the US after a tour of the Middle East where he and other US officials had warned Israel to respond in a way that would not further escalate the conflict in the region.
Two US officials said the US was notified by Israel in advance of the strikes. They said there was no US involvement in the operation. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing operation.