Israel claims air strikes on Iranian military sites on Saturday morning ended its retribution for Iran's ballistic missile assaults on April 13 and October 1.
Iran's military stated early Saturday that Israeli raids on the nation targeted military bases in Ilam, Khuzestan, and Tehran provinces, causing "limited damage," and killing two troops.
After reporting that the strikes were underway, the Israel Defense Forces issued a statement claiming they had completed their goal and urged Iran not to escalate.
“I can now confirm that we have concluded the Israeli response to Iran’s attacks against Israel,” said IDF Spokesperson RAdm. Daniel Hagari. “We conducted targeted and precise strikes on military targets in Iran—thwarting immediate threats to the State of Israel.”
Hagari previously stated that with the strikes, Israel asserted its right and obligation to defend itself against attacks from many fronts by Iran and its regional proxies, including direct strikes from Iranian soil.
Iran conducted huge ballistic missile assaults on Israel on April 13 and October 1, but the attacks were thwarted by Israeli missile defenses, which were backed by US Navy warships.
“The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since October 7th—on seven fronts—including direct attacks from Iranian soil,” Hagari said, referring to the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel that sparked the Israel-Hamas war. “Our defensive and offensive capabilities are fully mobilized. We will do whatever necessary to defend the State of Israel and the people of Israel.”
Iran's Foreign Ministry criticized Israel's airstrikes on military bases and stated that Iran will reply.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement calling the assaults a flagrant breach of international law and the United Nations. Charter.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged Iran not to respond. ”I am clear that Israel has the right to defend itself against Iranian aggression,” he said. “I’m equally clear that we need to avoid further regional escalation and urge all sides to show restraint.”
In a statement issued by the state-run news agency, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia criticized the strikes on Iran without mentioning Israel, claiming that they violated its sovereignty as well as international laws and standards.
Israel's hours-long attack ended just before sunrise in Tehran, with the Israeli military saying it targeted "missile manufacturing facilities used to produce the missiles that Iran fired at the state of Israel over the last year." It also hit surface-to-air missile sites and "additional Iranian aerial capabilities."
Israel provided no early damage estimate.
Initially, nuclear facilities and oil sites were viewed as potential targets for Israel's reaction to Iran's Oct. 1 strike, but by mid-October, the Biden administration felt it had received assurances from Israel that such targets would not be struck, resulting in a more severe escalation.
Iran's military claimed the raids targeted military bases in Ilam, Khuzestan, and Tehran provinces, causing "limited damage," but did not elaborate.
Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said late Friday that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin talked with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, regarding Israel's strikes on military sites in Iran. Austin emphasized the US commitment to its ally's security and Israel's right to self-defense, according to the Pentagon press secretary. Austin also stated that the United States was committed to preventing further war in the region, according to Ryder.
Iran's assault came after Israel launched a series of strikes against Hezbollah, Iran's proxy in Lebanon. Several weeks ago, thousands of pagers and portable radios used by Hezbollah commanders and officers detonated, killing many people and wounding hundreds.
On September 27, Israel's air force launched an attack that killed Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's leader for more than 30 years, when he was meeting with top Hezbollah officials in an underground bunker in the group's stronghold in suburban Beirut, Lebanon.
Additional airstrikes targeted additional Hezbollah commanders.
