Israel hit back at Iran early on Saturday, saying it struck military sites in Iran, as Iranian media reported multiple explosions in the capital Tehran, and at nearby bases.
At about 7 a.m. The Israeli military said it had completed its air attack on Iran, saying it hit the Islamic Republic’s missile manufacturing facilities, surface-to-air missile arrays, and other aerial capabilities across several areas of the country.
The Israeli military said its objectives had been achieved, but a semi-official Iranian news agency vowed a “proportional reaction” to Israeli moves against Tehran.
“Based on intelligence, IAF (air force) aircraft struck missile manufacturing facilities used to produce the missiles that Iran fired at the State of Israel over the last year,” the military said in a statement.
“Simultaneously, the IDF (military) struck surface-to-air missile arrays and additional Iranian aerial capabilities,” the army said, adding that the “retaliatory strike has been completed and the mission was fulfilled”.
It added that all its planes had now ‘safely returned home’ after the operation.
Israel has the right and duty to respond to attacks from Tehran and its proxies, which have included missile strikes launched from Iranian soil, the military said.
The Middle East has been on edge in anticipation of Israeli retaliation for a ballistic missile barrage carried out by Iran on Oct. 1, in which around 200 missiles were fired at Israel, Iran’s second direct attack on Israel in six months.
Those strikes, which Iran said targeted Israeli military facilities, came after Israel killed the top leadership of Iranian ally Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Hezbollah militants joined the fight against Israel in support of Hamas, the Palestinian militant group based in Gaza, also aligned with Iran, that attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Iran confirmed an Israeli attack had targeted military sites in the capital Tehran and other parts of the country, but said it had caused “limited damage”.
Targets did not include energy infrastructure or nuclear facilities, NBC News and ABC News reported, citing an Israeli official.
US President Joe Biden had warned that Washington, Israel’s main backer and supplier of arms, would not support a strike on Tehran’s nuclear sites and has said Israel should consider alternatives to attacking Iran’s oil fields.
Iran’s state-linked Fars news agency said several military bases in the west and southwest of Tehran had been targeted by Israel.
Iranian state media reported that strong explosions were heard around Tehran and nearby Karaj, but played down the attack in initial reports, saying life continued as normal.
The semi-linked Tasnim news agency said Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) bases that were attacked were not damaged.
State TV showed footage of Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport with arriving passengers getting off their flights.
Israel also targeted some military sites in Syria’s central and southern parts with airstrikes early on Saturday, Syrian state news agency SANA reported.
Syrian air defense forces intercepted missiles launched by Israel “from the direction of the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights and the Lebanese territories” and shot down some of them, SANA added.
Israel has not confirmed striking Syria.
Iranian authorities have repeatedly warned Israel against launching an attack, saying any strike on Iran would be met with stronger retaliation.
Israel said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant closely followed the operation at the military’s command and control center in Tel Aviv.
US officials said that the US was not involved in Israel’s strikes on Iran but added that Washington received advance notice of the Israeli attacks.
“We understand that Israel is conducting targeted strikes against military targets in Iran as an exercise of self-defense and in response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack against Israel on October 1st,” said White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett.
Fears that Iran and the US would be drawn into a regional war have risen with Israel’s intensifying assault on Hezbollah since last month, including airstrikes on Beirut and a ground operation, as well as its year-old conflict in the Gaza Strip.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that Israel’s retaliation should not lead to greater escalation.
Israel’s defense minister said this week that enemies would “pay a heavy price” for trying to harm Israel.
With agencies
