There have been signs of an Israeli counter-attack on Iran in recent weeks. Now the Israeli armed forces bomb many targets, mainly military facilities. No nuclear or oil facilities were hit.
Israel attacked military targets in Iran on Saturday night. “In response to the Iranian regime’s months of continuous attacks on the State of Israel, the Defense Forces are carrying out targeted attacks on military targets in Iran,” the Israeli military said.
Israeli television said dozens of fighter pilots were involved in the attacks. According to the Israeli military, the “facilities have been hit for the production of missiles that Iran fired at Israel last year.” The rockets posed a direct and immediate threat to the citizens of the State of Israel.
Israel declares that attacks have stopped
The statement also said the military struck surface-to-air missile systems and Iranian facilities designed to limit Israel’s ability to operate from the air. However, according to US officials, Iran’s oil infrastructure or nuclear facilities were not targets of Israeli military action.
Early this morning, a military spokesman declared that the attacks had ended. The fighter jets returned safely to Israel. All mission objectives were achieved.
The exact extent of the damage is not clear
Iranian media spoke of “limited damage” to military bases after the airstrikes. As reported by the Tasnim news agency, anti-aircraft defenses were activated in the capital Tehran and in the provinces of Khuzestan and Ilam, among others. There was no more detailed information at first.
During the night, Iranian state media reported the sounds of explosions in the area around Tehran. There was also an explosion in the city of Karaj.
Also apparently attacked targets in Syria
According to the Syrian state news agency Sana, military facilities in central and southern Syria were also attacked. The rockets came from the direction of the Israeli Golan Heights and Lebanon and some of them could have been intercepted. Israel has not yet confirmed an attack on Syria.
Retaliation expected from the beginning of October
A retaliatory strike by Israel was expected after Iran fired about 200 rockets at Israel in early October. However the US and other countries tried to work to resolve the situation. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned on Wednesday that there should be no further escalation of Israel’s retaliation
The White House in Washington said the US was informed of the attacks in advance. US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris followed the developments. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke by phone with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant, the Pentagon said. Biden had warned Israel not to attack Iran’s nuclear or oil facilities. The US, Israel’s most important donor and arms supplier, would not support that.
Will there be a counter-attack from Iran now?
In April, Iran countered an Israeli attack in Syria and fired rockets at Israel. But even then, most Iranian missiles were intercepted by Israel, the US military and other allies. Israel responded with airstrikes in Iran, but there was no further escalation.
There has not yet been an official statement from Iran about the new Israeli attacks. The state news agency Tasnim, which is considered to be the mouthpiece of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, reported, citing insiders, that Tehran reserves the right to respond to the Israeli attack. Iran is prepared for this. “There is no doubt that Israel will face an appropriate response to his actions,” an insider was quoted as saying.
Bettina Meier, ARD Tel Aviv, tagesschau, October 26, 2024 6:44 pm