The attack that started just before 2:30 AM local time was a retaliation for the Iranian rocket attack on Israel on October 1.
At least five explosions were heard in Tehran and in the nearby city of Karaj in Iran. Israeli authorities confirmed shortly thereafter that they had carried out precision strikes against several military targets in Iran.
A new wave of attacks on Tehran began around 5 AM with several new explosions.
So far, there have been no reports of casualties.
Air defense systems intercepted most of the Israeli missiles, and the damage is limited, according to the Iranian air force.
Attacker in self-defense
The U.S. government was reportedly notified shortly before the attack, according to several media outlets.
In a statement following the first wave of Israeli attacks, the White House said they understood that Israel was conducting targeted strikes against military targets in Iran in self-defense.
The U.S. was further not involved in the Israeli military operation against targets in Iran, spokesperson Sean Savett stated.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed on the attack and followed the developments closely, according to the White House.
Attacking military bases
Iran closed its airspace for an extended period due to the attack. Iraq also suspended all flights at all airports indefinitely due to the tense situation.
Reports indicate at least three waves of attacks occurred overnight. After four hours, the Israeli military announced that the attacks were over.
Israel prioritized military targets and avoided attacking nuclear facilities and oil installations, according to the White House.
Among the targets that were attacked were several military bases west and southwest of Tehran, according to the Iranian news agency Fars. Israel claimed, among other things, that they hit a missile production facility that was used in the October 1 attack against Israel.
Various air defense weapons and facilities were also reportedly hit, allowing Israeli fighter jets to operate more freely in Iranian airspace in the future, according to the IDF.
The Iranian air force stated that military targets were attacked in the provinces of Tehran, Khuzestan, and Ilam.
Iran has attempted to downplay the consequences of the attack and has referred to it as harmless through state media.
New threats
In a statement through Iranian state media after the attacks, it was said that Iran will undoubtedly respond to the Israeli aggression. According to the IDF, this would be a bad idea.
– If the regime in Iran makes the mistake of starting a new round of escalation, we are committed to responding, warns the IDF.
U.S. authorities also state that this should mark the end of the direct military exchange of attacks between Iran and Israel, a senior source in the Biden administration informed both Reuters and AP.
If Iran chooses to respond to Israel’s attacks, the U.S. is ready to defend against any attacks again, the official stated according to Reuters.
AP reports that the source met with a group of journalists but spoke on the condition of anonymity in accordance with White House rules.
Biden has been working with Israel in recent weeks, urging them to carry out a targeted and proportional attack with a low risk of harm to civilians, according to Reuters. The attack appears to have occurred in line with these recommendations, according to the source.
Expected reaction
Israel has been planning a response against Iran since the rocket attack on October 1. The attack was Iran’s second direct attack on Israel in the last six months.
Iran fired nearly 200 rockets at Israel, most of which are reported to have been intercepted.
The Iranian attack was said to be a retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and the summer killing of Hamas’ political exiled leader Ismail Haniyeh while he was in Tehran to attend the inauguration of Iran’s new president.