Israel launched strikes on Iran in a retaliatory attack. Here’s what we know
Israel said on Saturday it had struck military targets inside Iran in a wave of retaliatory attacks, targeting Iranian missile manufacturing sites in what appeared to be a highly calculated response that avoided critical energy infrastructure, such as nuclear facilities.
The strikes have long been expected, and come as Israel mounts a major operation in northern Gaza and against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Here’s what we know:
Waves of strikes: Several explosions were heard west of Tehran around 2:15 a.m. local time (7 p.m. ET Friday), according to Iran’s state news agency. The initial strikes were closely followed by a second wave, as video posted to social media by Tehran residents showed tracer fire and explosions illuminating the Iranian capital’s sky as dawn neared. A third and final wave then followed.
Strikes “concluded”: Israel says the attack is now over. “We conducted targeted and precise strikes on military targets in Iran – thwarting immediate threats to the State of Israel,” the Israeli military said in a statement. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari warned that if Iran were to begin “a new round of escalation,” Israel will be “obligated to respond.” Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said Israel “could and should have exacted a much heavier price from Iran.”
Iran “entitled” to defend itself: Following the strikes, Iran’s foreign ministry said it “considers itself entitled and obligated to defend itself.” The ministry condemned Israel’s attacks in a statement, calling the action a “clear violation” of international law.
Damage limited: Still, Iran also appeared to downplay the impact of the attack, claiming its air defenses had successfully countered the strikes in three provinces – Tehran, Ilam and Khuzestan – and that the damage was “limited.” The Iranian army said Saturday morning that two soldiers were killed in the strikes, without clarifying where the deaths happened. The extent of the damege is not yet clear.
Calculated response: The US described the attack as “an exercise in self-defense” that “specifically avoided populated areas and focused solely on military targets.” Meanwhile, a senior US administration official said US President Joe Biden encouraged Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call last week to “design” a retaliatory attack against Iran that would “deter future attacks against Israel.”
How we got here: Israel had vowed Iran would pay for its large-scale missile attack on October 1 that saw around 200 ballistic missiles fired at Israel. Iran said the attack was in response to the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and others and came soon after Israel launched a ground offensive in Lebanon.
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