After a prolonged period of restraint, the Israeli Air Force launched a historic assault on Iranian soil from Friday night into Saturday morning
In an unprecedented and historic operation, the Israeli Air Force targeted key military sites in Iran. This escalation marks a pivotal moment, with Iran’s response now determining the course of events. Although Iran’s leadership has publicly vowed to retaliate, significant concerns remain about the risks of a larger regional conflict.
After a prolonged period of restraint, the Israeli Air Force launched a historic assault on Iranian soil from Friday night into Saturday morning.
Hitting their mark
The operation was a direct response to Iran’s missile attacks on Israel during Rosh Hashanah. At the behest of the US government, which seeks to avoid further escalation, Israel refrained from targeting Iran’s nuclear or oil infrastructure, instead focusing solely on military sites.
The strikes targeted missile launch and storage facilities, Revolutionary Guard command centers, and air defense systems, aiming to limit Iran’s immediate military response capabilities.
Iranian media quickly claimed that all attacks were intercepted, likely to preserve the regime’s image. However, this does not preclude a response. Iran’s leadership now faces a complex decision. On one hand, Israel’s choice to avoid nuclear and oil facilities signals restraint but also a capability to strike if necessary. On the other, retaliation could bring Iran into a broader conflict, especially with an unprecedented US military presence in the region.
Despite Iranian media’s attempts to project normalcy, the impact of these events on both countries is clear. This is the first instance since the Iran-Iraq War that Tehran has been hit directly, challenging the regime’s narrative of security. Israel, meanwhile, has overcome its previous reluctance to launch aerial strikes on Iran, a move that may reshape future interactions between the two nations.
Furthermore, Hezbollah’s perceived weakness in its standoff with Israel may have emboldened Israel to act, undermining Iran’s expectation of protection from such attacks. While it is too early to predict the outcomes, this night has changed the relationship between Iran and Israel in unprecedented ways, with significant implications for both nations.
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Israeli Forces Attack Iran With “Precise Strikes On Military Targets” In Retaliatory Response
Israel attacked Iran early Saturday morning local time with what it’s referred to as “precise strikes on Iranian military targets,” weeks after the Islamic Republic fired around 180 ballistic missiles towards Israel on Oct. 1. Blasts were reported near the headquarters of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
In a rare announcement, the Israeli military said its strikes are underway, and that their “offensive and defensive capabilities are fully mobilized,” while the WSJ reports that Israel gave the US advance notice.
“We were aware in advance,” said a US official.
According to unconfirmed reports, several explosions have been heard in Tehran. According to journalist Reza Rashidpour, five large explosions were heard in the city within around 10 seconds, while Iranian Air Force jets have taken off in the western part of the country, the NY Times reports.
Huge explosions in Tehran! pic.twitter.com/sMQoPdB7JI — Israel News Pulse (@israelnewspulse) October 25, 2024
According to the Times:
Residents of Tehran reported hearing multiple explosions in and around the Iranian capital, and Iranian state media sites said the explosions were near or at Imam Khomeini international airport.
Maryam Naraghi, an Iranian journalist, said she heard large explosions in the eastern part of Tehran, where she lives. “It was the sound of bombs and explosions,” she said. “It was very close to where I am in the eastern part of the city.” The area includes military bases and the secretive military site Parchin.
Another Iranian journalist, Reza Rashidpour, said five massive explosions were heard in Tehran within about 10 seconds. He said Iranian air force jets had taken off in the western part of the country.
Iranians have also reported hearing explosions in Isfahan, Mashhad, and Kurdistan province, while two senior Arab officials told NBC News that the initial strike on Tehran targeted barracks and a weapons depot.
Tehran has threatened to target Gulf states and other US allies if their territories or airspace are used to attack Iran – while Israel assured the US that it wouldn’t strike Iran’s oil or nuclear facilities.
As Axios reports, US and Israeli officials believe Iran will respond military – but hope it will be ‘constrained’ in order to put an end to the tit-for-tat (ok).
Driving the news: The U.S. military boosted its forces in the region in the last few weeks ahead of Israel’s possible attack on Iran.
- U.S. officials said the goal was to deter Iran from responding and help Israel defend itself from another Iranian missile barrage.
- President Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin decided to deploy a THAAD missile defense system in Israel with a crew of U.S. military operators.
- That means U.S. soldiers could actively engage in the fighting between Israel and Iran on Israeli soil.
- On Friday, several hours before the Israeli strike, CENTCOM announced that U.S. Air Force F-16s from the 480th Fighter Squadron based at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany had arrived in U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility.
Meanwhile, the FBI is investigating a leak of top secret US intelligence documents that revealed part of Israel’s upcoming strike on Iran.
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