In a fresh escalation of the ongoing Israel war on Gaza, Israel launched a series of airstrikes targeting military facilities in Iran early Saturday morning, claiming they were in retaliation for a ballistic missile attack on Israel on October 1st.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the airstrikes, describing them as “precise strikes on military targets in Iran.” IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari stated “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. Like every other sovereign country in the world, the State of Israel has the right and the duty to respond.”
In response to months of continuous attacks from the regime in Iran against the State of Israel—right now the Israel Defense Forces is conducting precise strikes on military targets in Iran.
The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking… pic.twitter.com/OcHUy7nQvN
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 25, 2024
While Israel provided no immediate details on the targets or the extent of the damage inflicted, Iranian state television reported hearing several strong explosions around Tehran and the nearby city of Karaj.
However, Iran’s military attributed the sounds to air defence activities, claiming no rockets or airplanes were detected in the sky over Tehran. “Nothing has been reported about hearing the sound of rockets or airplanes in the sky of Tehran so far,” The Tasnim news agency reported.
The United States, notified by Israel prior to the airstrikes, confirmed its awareness of the operation but stressed that it was not involved in the planning or execution, News agency Reuters reported. The White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett emphasised that Israel’s actions were a “self-defense” measure against Iranian aggression.
“We understand that Israel is conducting targeted strikes against military targets in Iran as an exercise of self-defence and in response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack against Israel on October 1st,” said White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett.
The U.S. government is actively seeking to prevent further escalation of the conflict and called on Israel to avoid any actions that could lead to a broader war. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that Israel’s retaliation should not lead to greater escalation.
The recent series of attacks and counterattacks between Israel and Iran have raised concerns about a potential regional war.
In the weeks leading up to the airstrikes, Israel had intensified its offensive against Palestinian militant groups in Gaza and Lebanon, citing their links to Iran and Hezbollah.
