Israeli army launches attacks on military targets in Iran, officials say

An Israeli tank operates near the Gaza border in southern Israel on October 21, 2024. (Tsafrir Abayov/AP)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Israel launched airstrikes early Saturday against what it described as military targets in Iran in retaliation for a ballistic missile attack on Oct. 1, officials said. There was no immediate information on damage in the Islamic Republic.

Israel’s military described the attack as “precise strikes against military targets in Iran,” without immediately providing further details.

“The Iranian regime and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since October 7, on seven fronts, including direct attacks from Iranian soil,” an Israeli military statement said. “Like any other sovereign country in the world, the State of Israel has the right and the duty to respond.”

In Tehran, the Iranian capital, the sound of explosions could be heard, and state media initially acknowledged the explosions and said some of the sounds came from air defense systems around the city.

A Tehran resident told the Associated Press that at least seven explosions were heard and shook the surrounding area. The resident spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

Meanwhile, state media in Syria described its air defenses as also targeting “hostile targets” there.

Iran has launched two ballistic missile attacks against Israel in recent months amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip that began with Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel also launched an invasion land of Lebanon.

The attack came just as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned to the United States after a tour of the Middle East, where he and other US officials had warned Israel to offer a response that would not further escalate the conflict in the region. region and exclude nuclear energy. sites in Iran.

White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement that “we understand that Israel is carrying out targeted strikes against military targets in Iran” and referred reporters to the Israeli government for more details about its operation.

Israel had vowed to hit Iran hard following a massive Iranian missile bombardment on October 1. Iran said its bombing was in response to deadly Israeli attacks on its proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah, and has vowed to respond to any retaliatory attacks.

Israel and Iran have been bitter enemies since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Israel considers Iran its biggest threat, citing its leaders’ calls for Israel’s destruction, its support for anti-Israel militant groups and the country’s nuclear program.

Israel and Iran have been locked in a shadow war that has been going on for years. An alleged Israeli assassination campaign has killed prominent Iranian nuclear scientists. Iranian nuclear facilities have been hacked or sabotaged, all in mysterious attacks attributed to Israel. Meanwhile, Iran has been blamed for a series of attacks on shipping in the Middle East in recent years, which later escalated into attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on shipping through the Red Sea corridor.

But since the Hamas attack on October 7, the battle has become increasingly open. Israel has recently focused its attention on Hezbollah, which has been firing rockets at Israel since the war in Gaza began. Throughout the year, several high-level Iranian military figures have been killed in Israeli strikes in Syria and Lebanon.

Iran fired a wave of missiles and drones at Israel last April after two Iranian generals were killed in an apparent Israeli airstrike in Syria targeting an Iranian diplomatic post. The missiles and drones caused minimal damage and Israel, under pressure from Western countries to show restraint, responded with a limited attack.

But after Iran’s missile attack in early October, Israel promised a tougher response.

Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat in Tehran contributed to this report.