Israel attacks Iran as revenge for missile attack, risking escalation of wars in the Middle East

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel attacked Iran with a series of airstrikes early Saturday, saying it targeted military sites in retaliation for the ballistic missile barrage the Islamic Republic fired at Israel earlier this month.

Explosions could be heard in the Iranian capital Tehran, although the Islamic Republic insisted they caused only “limited damage”.

The attack risks bringing the archenemies closer to all-out war at a time of rising violence across the Middle East, where Iran-backed militant groups – including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon – are already at war with Israel.

Saturday marked the first time Israel’s military openly attacked Iran, which has not faced sustained bombardment from a foreign enemy since its war with Iraq in the 1980s.

Israel’s hour-long attack ended just before dawn in Tehran, and the Israeli military said it targeted “missile manufacturing facilities used to produce the missiles that Iran fired at the State of Israel over the past year.” It also said it attacked surface-to-air missile sites and “additional Iranian air capabilities.”

Israel did not offer any initial assessment of the damage.

Initially, all nuclear and oil facilities had been viewed as possible targets of Israel’s response to Iran’s October 1 attack, but in mid-October the Biden administration obtained assurances from Israel that it would not attack those targets, which would be a more serious threat. escalation.

“The Iranian regime and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since October 7… including direct attacks from Iranian soil,” Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a pre-recorded video statement. on Saturday morning. “Like any other sovereign country in the world, the State of Israel has the right and the duty to respond.”

Iran’s military said the attacks targeted military bases in the provinces of Ilam, Khuzestan and Tehran and caused “limited damage,” without giving further details.

The United States warned against further retaliation, saying the nighttime strikes should end the direct exchange of fire between Israel and Iran.

Israel’s military said explosions have been heard in northern Israel following its activity in southern Lebanon, but “there is no indication of a security incident.”

Iran downplays Israel attack

Iranian state media acknowledged that explosions could be heard in Tehran and said some of the sounds came from air defense systems around the city.

But beyond a brief reference, Iranian state television for hours offered no further details and even began showing what it described as live footage of men loading trucks at a vegetable market in Tehran in an apparent attempt to downplay the assault. .

A Tehran resident told The Associated Press that at least seven explosions could be heard in the first wave of attacks, which shook the surrounding area. The resident spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

As the explosions rang out, people in Tehran could see what appeared to be tracer fire lighting up the sky. Other images showed the launch of what appeared to be surface-to-air missiles.

Iran closed the country’s airspace early Saturday and flight tracking data analyzed by the AP showed that commercial airlines had largely abandoned the skies over Iran and in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.

Iran’s decision to quickly downplay the attack may offer a path for it not to respond, which could risk further escalation.

“The Israel Defense Forces have accomplished their mission,” Hagari said in a later video. “If the Iranian regime made the mistake of starting a new round of escalation, we will be obliged to respond.”

Israel’s assault was a response to Iranian attacks.

Iran fired a wave of missiles and drones at Israel in 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 that it did not openly claim.

Iran launched at least 180 missiles at Israel on the night of October 1, sending Israelis taking refuge in bomb shelters, but causing only minimal damage and some injuries. Iran said the bombing was retaliation for attacks in recent months that killed leaders of Hezbollah, Hamas and the Iranian military. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately said that Iran had “made a big mistake.”

Before Iran’s attack in October, Israel had dealt a series of devastating blows against Hezbollah, which has been firing rockets into Israel almost daily for more than a year, since the deadly Hamas attack on Israel that sparked the war in Gaza.

Dozens of people were killed and thousands injured in September when pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah exploded in two days of attacks blamed on Israel. A massive Israeli airstrike the following week on the outskirts of Beirut killed former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and several of his top commanders.

Israel then increased pressure on Hezbollah by launching a ground invasion into southern Lebanon. More than a million Lebanese have been displaced and the death toll has risen dramatically due to airstrikes in and around Beirut.

Israel has said it will continue attacking Hezbollah until it is safe for the return of Israeli citizens displaced from their homes near the Lebanese border. Hezbollah has vowed to continue firing rockets at Israel until there is a ceasefire in Gaza.

The United States warns against retaliation

The White House indicated that Israel’s attacks against Iran should put an end to the direct exchange of fire between the two enemy countries, while warning Tehran of the “consequences” if it responds.

A senior White House official said the administration believed the Israeli operation should “shut down” direct military exchange between Israel and Iran, and said other allies agreed.

US President Joe Biden was briefed throughout Israel’s operation, the official said, while stressing that the US had no involvement in the attack.

The official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity under rules set by the White House, said the Israeli operation “was extensive, targeted and precise.”

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, about Israel’s strikes against military targets in Iran, Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Friday night.

Austin reiterated that the United States was committed to the security of its ally and that Israel has the right to defend itself, although Washington was determined to prevent the conflict from expanding, the Pentagon press secretary said in a statement.

Israel’s attack is the latest of the Middle East wars

When Hamas and other militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, they killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took about 250 hostages in Gaza. In response, Israel launched a devastating air and ground offensive against Hamas, and Netanyahu has vowed to keep fighting until all the hostages are freed. About 100 remain and about a third are believed to be dead.

More than 42,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza, according to local health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and combatants but say more than half of the dead are women and children.

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.

During their years-long shadow war, an alleged Israeli assassination campaign killed prominent Iranian nuclear scientists and Iranian nuclear facilities were 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.

Since the Hamas attack on October 7, the shadow war has increasingly come to light.

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Associated Press journalists Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran; Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv, Israel; Abby Sewell in Beirut; and Lolita C. Baldor, Farnoush Amiri and Zeke Miller in Washington; and Aamer Madhani in Wilmington, Delaware, contributed to this report.