West Jerusalem has launched a retaliatory wave of airstrikes against Tehran. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has claimed that it is only targeting military installations with its “precise strikes.”
The attack comes after Iran’s October 1 strike on the Jewish state, when it fired nearly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel in response to the killing of the Hamas and Hezbollah leaders as well as an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) general.
The IDF insisted following the strike that the majority of the projectiles had been intercepted. Tehran, however, has claimed that it was able to hit several Israeli military targets.
Following the October 1 attack, Israel threatened to deliver a “deadly, pinpoint accurate, and surprising” retaliation, without specifying any time frame. Alleged details of possible Israeli targets were leaked to media last week. Tehran has pledged a “decisive and regretful” response to any Israeli strikes.
27 October 2024
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the country’s airstrike on Iran was “precise and powerful” and had achieved all of its objectives.
“We promised we would respond to the Iranian attack and on Saturday we struck... We kept our promise. The air force attacked Iran and hit Iran’s defense capabilities and missile production,” he said.
Iranian officials should be the ones to determine how best to respond to the Israeli attack and show the country’s power, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday.
“The Zionist regime made a wrong move two nights ago. We must make them understand the power, determination, and initiative of the Iranian people,” Khamenei said.
At least 35 people were injured when a truck hit a bus stop in Ramat Hasharon in central Israel, according to emergency services. The police have stated that they are treating the incident as a terror attack.
Tehran has a right to respond to Israel’s attack, Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said in a televised address before a closed-door meeting. He added that the attacks had been a failure.
“The Zionist regime has no achievement but genocide and the mass murder of defenseless children and women in Gaza and Lebanon, and today, it has no credibility on the international stage,” Ghalibaf said as cited by local media.
The security cabinet will discuss “the Israeli attack on Iran and the possibility of an Iranian response” on Sunday, an unnamed Israeli official told CNN.
The IDF shared additional redacted images of the air crews preparing for the raid against Iran, suggesting that several female pilots and navigators participated in the mission.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has yet to publicly comment on the Israeli airstrikes against his country; however, in a surprise move, his office launched a Hebrew-language account on X on Saturday night.
”In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful,” reads the first and only post so far, which was reposted by Khamenei's verified English-language account, which has more than 1.3 million followers.
Tokyo has expressed “deep concern” about the “exchanges of attacks” between Israel and Iran, urging the sides to “exercise maximum restraint and to calm the situation, as peace and stability in the Middle East region are extremely important to Japan.”
“On October 26, the State of Israel conducted an attack against military facilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Japan is deeply concerned about the exchanges of attacks, including this attack, and strongly condemns any action that escalates the situation,” Japan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The IDF has reportedly decided to postpone the recruitment of soldiers for one week, over fears that Iran could retaliate with a new missile attack on Israel, according to the Jerusalem Post.
The IDF released footage showing Israeli Air Force F-15 and F-16 fighter jets departing for the overnight raid against Iran. The operation reportedly involved dozens of aircraft, including F-35 stealth fighters, flying over 1,600 kilometers before launching missiles at multiple military targets. Tehran insists that the Israeli jets never entered its airspace, while the country’s air defenses allegedly intercepted most of the projectiles.
Tehran “will not hesitate to give a decisive and appropriate response to any aggression against its territorial integrity and security in due course,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi stressed in a series of conversations with Qatar’s PM and Foreign Minister Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, Syria’s FM Bassam al-Sabbaq and top Egyptian FM Abdel Ati.
“The top diplomats of Qatar, Syria and Egypt condemned last night’s act of aggression against some military sites in Iran by the Israeli regime and underlined the need for more efforts to establish a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, stop the Zionist regime’s war machine and restore stability and security in the region,” according to a statement by the Foreign Ministry of Iran.
Israel targeted Iran’s air-defense systems designed to protect several critical oil facilities and refineries, avoiding direct hits on the plants themselves, the New York Times reports, citing unnamed Israeli and Iranian officials.
The attack on the air defenses at the Bandar Imam Khomeini petrochemical complex in Khuzestan Province, as well as the nearby Abadan oil refinery, allegedly “raised deep alarm” in Tehran, leaving critical infrastructure “vulnerable” to future attacks if the cycle of retaliation continues, the report claims.
Tehran denied any major impact on its military infrastructure, stating that while several radar systems were indeed affected, some have been “immediately repaired and others are in the process of being repaired.”
Tehran has warned the “terrorist and criminal US government” to “curb the illegal and illegitimate regime” of Israel, to avoid becoming “further entangled in the quagmire that the occupying regime has created,” according to a statement from the Communications Center of the General Staff of the Armed Forces.
“In this unlawful and illegitimate act, with the readiness of the country’s air defense, a significant number of missiles were tracked and intercepted, and the entry of enemy aircraft into the country’s airspace was thwarted,” the Iranian military said. “As a result of the timely performance of the country’s air defense, limited and low-impact damage was inflicted, and some radar systems were affected, some of which have been immediately repaired and others are in the process of being repaired.”
Qatar has condemned Israel’s strike on Iran, voicing “deep concern regarding the serious repercussions that may result from this escalation” and urging “all concerned parties to exercise restraint.”
“The State of Qatar expresses its strong condemnation and denunciation of Israel’s targeting of the Islamic Republic of Iran, considering this act a blatant violation of Iran’s sovereignty and a clear breach of the principles of international law,” the country’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The US expects Iran not to “make the mistake of responding to Israel’s strikes, which should mark the end of this exchange,” according to a readout of yet another phone call between Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant.
“The Secretary emphasized that the United States is well postured to defend US forces, facilities, and partners across the region and determined to prevent any actor from exploiting tensions or expanding the conflict in the region,” according to Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder.
Austin also once again reiterated the United States’ “ironclad commitment to Israel’s security and support for its right to defend itself,” pointing to the recent deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery “as an example of these commitments.”
Damascus has condemned the “Israeli air aggression” against Iran and Syria as a “blatant violation of the sovereignty and sanctity of Iranian and Syrian territories, and a flagrant breach of international law and the United Nations Charter.”
During the overnight Israeli raid against Iran, Syrian air defenses allegedly engaged and intercepted multiple missiles fired “from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan and Lebanese territories, targeting some military sites in the southern and central regions” of Syria.
“Syria stresses that this Israeli aggression occurs within the context of this entity’s disregard for all international laws and its insistence on its ongoing criminal and aggressive approach against the countries of the region, alongside the war of genocide and war crimes it is committing against their peoples,” the Syrian Foreign Ministry stated.
26 October 2024
Israeli airstrikes allegedly hit several Iranian missile production facilities, particularly hangars used for mixing solid rocket fuel at the Parchin and Khojir plants, Reuters reports, citing two analysts who studied commercial satellite imagery.
The IDF did not disclose the exact targets but previously stated that its aircraft struck “manufacturing facilities used to produce the missiles” that “posed a direct and immediate threat to the citizens of the State of Israel.” It also claimed to have targeted “surface-to-air missile arrays and additional Iranian aerial capabilities intended to restrict Israel's aerial freedom of operation” during the raid.
Iran officially acknowledged only “limited” damage to several military bases and radar stations in three provinces, along with four casualties among military personnel. Otherwise, the impact of the raid was reportedly minimal, with Tehran insisting that its defense systems shot down most of the Israeli missiles.
Israel should “await a response” proportional to its aggression, Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref has warned following separate meetings with Hamas and Hezbollah representatives in Tehran.
“Aggression is condemned by any standard or criterion, and the aggressor must await a response. We will give a response proportional to the mischief of the aggressor at the appropriate time and conditions”, Aref said as cited by IRNA news agency.
Iran’s nuclear facilities “have not been impacted” by the Israeli strike, according to Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi.
“IAEA inspectors are safe and continue their vital work,” the UN nuclear watchdog’s boss wrote on X, calling for “prudence and restraint from actions that could jeopardize the safety and security of nuclear and other radioactive materials.”
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has praised the attack on Iran as an “important opening blow” to Tehran’s strategic assets, adding that there “must be the next step.”
“We have a historic obligation to remove the Iranian threat to destroy Israel,” he wrote on X.
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has denounced the Israeli attack as a “reckless and cowardly” act of aggression against his country.
“We fully reserve our right to duly respond to this aggression, which cannot be separated from Israel’s genocide in Gaza and bloodshed in Lebanon,” he wrote in a post on X, sharing photos of the Iranian military personnel killed in the raid.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has warned the “enemies” that the people of Iran are “standing fearlessly” and “will respond to any stupidity with tact and intelligence.”
“The children of Iran sacrificed their lives in defense of the homeland,” he wrote in a post on X, offering his condolences to the “noble families of the heroic people” killed in the Israeli raid.
Iran has unveiled the names of the four military personnel killed by the Israeli strike, adding that it “reserves its inherent right to legal and legitimate response to these criminal attacks at the appropriate time.”
“While Iran’s air defense system intercepted most of the missiles, four Iranian military officers, namely Hamzeh Jahandideh, Mohammad Mahdi Shahrokhi, Sajjad Mansouri, and Mehdi Naghavi were tragically martyred while courageously sacrificing their lives to defend and safeguard their country's national security,” Iran’s permanent mission to the UN wrote.
Tehran has urged the UN Security Council to convene an urgent meeting to discuss a “serious violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran and a flagrant breach of international law and the United Nations Charter” by Israel.
“In the early hours of Saturday morning, 26 October 2024, Israel’s terrorist regime launched a series of military airstrikes targeting several sites in Khuzestan, Ilam, and around Tehran provinces,” Iran’s permanent mission to the UN wrote in a letter to Switzerland’s Pascale Christine Baerswyl who currently holds the Security Council’s rotating presidency.
“If not for the successful performance of Iran’s air defense, the Israeli aggression could have resulted in significant casualties,” Tehran said, urging the UN Secretary-General and the Security Council “to take a firm stance and condemn the Israeli regime for committing these acts of aggression strongly and unequivocally.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has thanked Washington for both “overt and covert cooperation” following strikes against Iran, praising the United States as his country’s “true ally” and “great friend.”
The US previously voiced its support for Israel’s right to “self-defense” but denied any role in its raid on Iran. American officials, including President Joe Biden, expressed hope that the IDF strikes would mark the end of escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Israel has dismissed media reports it had originally intended to target Iran’s oil and natural gas facilities and abstained from doing so only after pressure from the US. PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s office rejected such assertions as “completely false.”
“Israel chose the targets for the attack based on its national interests, not according to American directives. This was the case then, and it will remain so,” the office said in a statement carried by local media.
Israeli warplanes have conducted attacks on Iran from Iraqi airspace, according to Iran’s mission to the United Nations. The mission has gone on to accuse the United States of being complicit in the incident.
“Iraqi airspace is under the occupation, command and control of the US military. Conclusion: The US complicity in this crime is certain,” the Iran UN mission says in a post on X.
Hezbollah has issued a stark warning about a potential “dangerous escalation” in the region, holding Washington accountable for what it describes as “treacherous” Israeli raids on Iran.
In a formal statement, Hezbollah condemned “Zionist aggression” against Iran, emphasizing that this action represents a significant escalation that could impact the entire region.
The group further asserted that the United States “bears full responsibility for the massacres, tragedies, and pain” inflicted by Israel.
According to Iranian state TV, the number of army casualties from the Israeli attack has risen to four.
US President Joe Biden has expressed hope that the IDF strikes mark the end of the escalation in the Middle East.
“It looks like [Israel] didn’t hit anything other than military targets. My hope is this is the end,” he told reporters in Philadelphia. He added that he’d been briefed on the matter by the American intelligence community.
Iran has no “boundaries” set when it comes to defending its territorial integrity, people and interests, the country’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has said, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
The diplomat said he explained this stance to foreign leaders during his recent regional trips.
“We clearly presented Iran’s definitive positions on regional issues and on its own defense and the defense of the axis of resistance,” Araghchi is quoted as saying. He referred to a Tehran-led informal alliance comprising Iran, Hamas, Syria, the Houthis in Yemen, certain Islamic militia in Iraq, and several other militant groups. The group opposes Israeli and American influence in the Middle East.
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres is “deeply alarmed by the continued escalation in the Middle East,” his spokesperson has said in a statement following the Israeli attack against Iran.
”All acts of escalation are condemnable and must stop,” it reads. The UN chief “urgently reiterates his appeal to all parties to cease all military actions, including in Gaza and Lebanon, exert maximum efforts to prevent an all-out regional war and return to the path of diplomacy.”
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has released photos and video of its troops preparing for Saturday’s strike against Iran.
In a post on Facebook, the IAF said that Israeli planes “struck military targets in Iran overnight” including “missile manufacturing facilities used in attacks on Israel over the past year.”
“This is a clear message: those who threaten the State of Israel will face severe consequences,” the IAF stated.
The European Union has warned both Iran and Israel against “uncontrollable escalation” following the IDF airstrikes.
The retaliatory attack against Iran “occurred amid severe and growing regional tensions,” the block has said in a statement. “The dangerous cycle of attacks and retaliations risks causing a further expansion of the regional conflict,” Brussels stressed. “While acknowledging Israel’s right to self-defense, the EU calls on all parties to exercise utmost restraint to avoid an uncontrollable escalation, which is in no one’s interest.”
The EU said it remains committed to lowering tensions in the region and is “in close contact with all relevant actors.”
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has urged Iran to refrain from an “escalatory” reaction following the Israeli strikes against targets in the Islamic Republic early on Saturday.
“My message to Iran is clear: massive escalatory reactions should not continue,” Scholz wrote on X. “This must end now,” he said, adding that this would create an opportunity for peaceful development in the Middle East.
Switzerland has condemned what it described as a “dangerous escalation of violence in the Middle East,” including the Israeli strikes against Iranian targets on Saturday.
“Hostilities must cease on all sides to avoid the worsening of the regional escalation,” the country’s Department of Foreign Affairs wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Paris has urged the parties “to refrain from any escalation and action likely to aggravate the context of extreme tension prevailing in the region,” according to a statement issued by the French foreign ministry.
Moscow is “deeply concerned” about the “explosive escalation” between Israel and Iran, which threatens stability and security in the region, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said, commenting on the strikes.
Russia urges those involved in the conflict “to show restraint, stop the violence and prevent events from developing according to a catastrophic scenario,” the diplomat stressed in a statement.
Moscow believes that it’s necessary for Israel to stop provoking Iran to retaliate. “We are ready to work with all the parties to reduce the level of confrontation,” Zakharova added.
Iran has condemned the Israeli attacks against its military sites as a “blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter, particularly the principle prohibiting the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of countries,” according to a statement issued by Tehran’s foreign ministry.
The Islamic Republic has the right to defend itself “against acts of external aggression,” it added.
British PM Keir Starmer has said Iran shouldn’t respond to the recent Israeli strikes, urging everyone to exercise restraint.
“I am clear that Israel has the right to defend itself against Iranian aggression. I’m equally clear that we need to avoid further regional escalation and urge all sides to show restraint. Iran should not respond,” Starmer said at a press conference in Samoa, where he has been attending a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Three workers have reportedly been killed at a factory in Shamsabad, south of Tehran, as a result of the Israeli strikes, unverified reports on social media claim.
Footage published by Al Araby TV reportedly shows damage to the factory from Israel’s overnight strikes, which the Israeli media claim might be involved in the production of military drones.
Iranian media earlier reported that two soldiers were killed in the attacks.
Two Iranian soldiers have been killed in the Israeli attacks on Iran, the Iranian army has announced in a statement. Earlier, the military said they had successfully defended the country against the IDF attack this morning.
Two army members were killed while confronting Israeli projectiles “in order to defend the country’s security and prevent harm to its interests,” Tasnim News Agency reported, citing the military.
Flights have resumed at all Iraqi airports, the country’s Transport Minister Razzaq Muhaibis al-Saadawi has confirmed, after a temporary suspension due to “regional tensions.”
“After overcoming all risks that could have affected the security and safety of civil aviation in Iraq, the Minister of Transport ordered the reopening of Iraqi airspace to civilian aircraft crossing the airspace and arriving and departing from Iraqi airports,” the Transport Ministry said in a statement.
The White House has called on Iran to stop attacking Israel so that this “cycle of fighting can end without further escalation,” National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett has said, after Israel announced the completion of its retaliatory strikes.
Savett stressed that the US wasn’t involved in the operation, claiming their aim is to “accelerate diplomacy and de-escalate tensions” in the Middle East. He urged Iran to stop attacking Israel “so this cycle of fighting can end without further escalation.”
Malaysia has called for an end to “the cycle of violence” in response to Israel’s overnight attacks on Iran, saying they constitute “a blatant violation of international law and seriously undermine regional stability.”
“Israel’s continuous acts of impunity have severely affected, and will continue to affect, the security and future stability of the Middle East, bringing the region closer to the brink of a wider conflict,” the Malaysian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia has condemned Israel’s attacks on Iran as a violation of the country’s sovereignty and as a contravention of international laws and norms.
“The Kingdom also affirms its unwavering position in its rejection of the continued escalation in the region and the expansion of the conflict that threatens the security and stability of the countries and people of the region,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
They also urged all parties to “exercise the utmost restraint and reduce escalation,” warning of the consequences of continuing military conflicts in the region.
Iran has reopened its airspace after the wave of air attacks by Israel.
The country's Civil Aviation Organization has said flights resumed at 9am local time (6am GMT).
Israel had warned Iran ahead of its retaliatory attack on Friday not to respond to its airstrikes, three sources told Axios.
The Israelis had sent the Iranians a message through several third parties, warning of inevitable retaliation to any attacks, sources with knowledge of the issue have told the outlet.
“Iran’s power humiliates the enemies of the motherland,” Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref has said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The IDF reportedly codenamed its retaliatory operation against Iran “Days of Repentance.”
Iran’s National Air Defense Headquarters has called the Israeli attack “provocative” and “adventurous,” but said nothing about a potential retaliation, insisting that the impact was “limited.”
“The country’s integrated air defense system successfully intercepted and countered this aggressive action, though limited damage has been reported in certain areas,” the defense agency said in a statement cited by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).
“The scope of this incident is currently under investigation,” it added.
A senior US official has said that President Joe Biden and his security team had “worked with the Israelis over recent weeks to encourage Israel to conduct a response that was targeted and proportional with low risk of civilian harm and that is precisely what transpired this evening.”
“This should be the end of the direct military exchange between Israel and Iran,” the unnamed official told US media, adding that “as far as we’re concerned, that should close out the direct exchange.”
The UK government is “monitoring” the situation after Israel’s retaliatory strikes on Iran and believes that “further escalation is in no one’s interest,” according to The Guardian.
“We support Israel’s right to self-defense and to protect itself in line with international humanitarian law,” a Downing Street spokesman has said.
The Israeli attack caused only “limited damage to military bases in the targeted provinces,” according to the Lebanese TV channel Al Mayadeen.
“Israel carried out an air attack on bases in Tehran, Khuzestan and Ilam provinces and most of the attacks were countered,” the channel has reported, citing Iranian air defense forces.
The Israel Defense Forces has “fulfilled its mission” and “concluded the Israeli response to Iran’s attacks,” spokesperson Daniel Hagari has said in a video announcement.
“If the regime in Iran were to make the mistake of beginning a new round of escalation – we will be obligated to respond,” he warned.
“We demonstrated today that we have both the capability and the resolve to act decisively – and we are prepared – on offense and defense – to defend the State of Israel and the people of Israel,” Hagari added.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has “reaffirmed the ironclad commitment of the United States to Israel’s security and right to self-defense” in a phone call with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant, Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder has said.
“The Secretary emphasized the enhanced force posture of the United States to defend US personnel, Israel, and partners across the region in the face of threats from Iran and Iran-backed terrorist organizations and the US determination to prevent any actor from exploiting tensions or expanding the conflict in the region,” the spokesman said in a brief readout of the conversation that took place earlier tonight.
The Israeli military has been conducting “situational assessments” and is prepared for further “defensive and offensive action,” according to an IDF statement.
“The State of Israel reserves the right to defend its citizens if the Iranian regime continues attacks against the State of Israel and its civilians,” it added
“The IDF has a range of offensive operational capabilities, some of which were deployed today during the strikes on strategic assets deep within Iranian territory.”
The IDF has said it has “completed precise and targeted strikes against military targets in a number of areas in Iran,” adding that the Israeli planes have now “safely returned home.”
“Based on intelligence, IAF aircraft struck missile manufacturing facilities used to produce the missiles that Iran fired at the State of Israel over the last year. These missiles posed a direct and immediate threat to the citizens of the State of Israel. Simultaneously, the IDF struck surface-to-air missile arrays and additional Iranian aerial capabilities that were intended to restrict Israel’s aerial freedom of operation in Iran,” the IDF wrote in a statement.
Tehran has not officially confirmed any damage to its military infrastructure, with local media so far claiming that the country’s air defenses successfully intercepted most of the incoming missiles.
The Israeli attack ended around 5am local time, two Israeli officials have told the New York Times. In total, the IDF allegedly struck “roughly 20 sites” in multiple waves, although Tehran has yet to confirm the scale of the attack and its impact.
Israel’s “target list contains military assets, particularly missile manufacturing facilities and aerial defense sites,” the Washington Post has reported, citing a source briefed on Israel’s military planning.
Three waves of strikes have been launched so far against Iran, according to US and Israeli officials cited by Axios reporter Barak Ravid. The first round allegedly targeted Iranian air defenses, while the follow-up strikes were “focused on missile and drone bases and production sites.”
The Israeli raid is expected to last “several more hours,” a source familiar with the matter told CNN. The first strikes hit Iran early Saturday morning local time, with the second wave reported several hours later.
There have been no attacks on military centers belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Tehran “so far,” Tasnim has reported citing informed sources.
Iran reserves the right to respond to the Israeli attack, and there is no question it would react “proportionally,” Tasnim news agency reports citing a “well-informed source.” Iranian authorities have yet to confirm any damage following the IDF air raid.
Iraq’s Ministry of Transport has announced the suspension of air traffic at all of the country’s airports “until further notice,” Al Jazeera reports. Iranian and Israeli authorities have also closed their respective airspaces
Israel apparently targeted “several military bases in the west and southwest of Tehran,” but there was no official confirmation of any casualties or damage, according to Fars News Agency.
Israel’s attack on Iran is “expected to be a one-night affair,” ABC News reports citing a source with direct knowledge. According to the same source, there were “no reports of any Israeli casualties or damage to Israeli warplanes.”
US Vice President Kamala Harris has also been briefed on the Israeli attack and is “closely following developments,” according to a White House official.
New footage is circulating online purportedly showing Iranian air defenses air engaging incoming hostile targets.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, “tonight,” two defense officials told NBC. The reports did not specify whether the conversation took place before or after the Israeli raid against Iran.
More explosions were heard in Tehran, allegedly due to the “activation of air defense systems,” according to local media reports.
“Over 100” Israeli jets, including F-35s, were involved in the raids against targets some 2000 km away from the country’s borders, the Walla news agency has claimed.
Syrian air defenses reportedly intercepted several Israeli missiles over the southern and central parts of the country, according to a statement from the military cited by SANA.
“At approximately 02:00 [11pm GMT Friday], the Israeli enemy carried out an air attack with a salvo of missiles from the territory of Lebanon and the occupied Golan Heights, attacking a number of military positions in the southern and central regions,” the military source said, adding that air defense systems “responded to the enemy missiles and shot down several of them.”
Iran has closed its airspace until 9am local time, according to a notice issued by the civil aviation authority.
Footage has emerged showing Israeli military officials supervising the operation from an underground command-and-control center of the Israeli Air Force.
Iranian authorities have yet to confirm any damage or casualties following the Israeli raid, with local media warning that most of the footage circulating online is old and unrelated to the ongoing attack.
The situation in Tehran is “normal,” with no reports of fire or smoke, according to the Iranian state news agency Tasnim. There were no explosions at the Tehran refinery, and no incidents at Imam Khomeini and Mehrabad airports, which continue to operate normally, according to the agency.
US President Joe Biden, who is currently in Delaware, has been briefed on the Israeli attack and is closely following developments, but his advisers are not planning to convene in the Situation Room, a White House official told CNN.
Washington was given a heads-up but was not involved in the Israeli strikes, three US officials told NBC News.
At least some of the blasts heard in Tehran were caused by the “defense activity,” a security source told IRNA, insisting the Iranian air defenses successfully repelled the attack.
Israel has so far limited its strike to Iranian “military targets,” an Israeli official told NBC News. “We’re targeting things that might have threatened us in the past or could do in the future,” the official said.
In another photo released by the IDF, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and the chief of the IAF, Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, are seen commanding the strikes from the Israeli Air Force’s command center.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has personally directed the operation, alongside Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and other military officials from the IDF’s underground headquarters, according to a redacted photo released by the PM’s office.
The Israeli strike “appears to have targeted” a weapons depot and a barracks or office in Tehran, NBC News reports citing two senior Arab officials.
“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,” spokesperson Sean Savett said in a statement to NBC News.
Israel notified the US about the looming strikes “shortly” before launching its raid, Fox News reports.
The scale of the attack was not clear, and there was no immediate information on damage in the Islamic Republic. A Tehran resident told AP that at least seven explosions could be heard in the capital.
25 October 2024
The Israel Defense Forces is conducting “precise strikes on military targets” in Iran, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari has confirmed.
Sources told CNN, Fox News and Axios that West Jerusalem launched its attack early Saturday morning local time.
Multiple loud blasts were heard around Iran’s capital and the nearby city of Karaj, Iran’s state TV said. There was no official comment about the source of the explosions.