Israel conducted targeted airstrikes in Iran early Saturday morning, hitting military sites in response to a missile attack launched on October 1.
The Israeli military confirmed the strikes, with spokesperson Daniel Hagari stating they were aimed at “precision military targets” as retaliation for Iran’s recent aggression.
“We are prepared for both offensive and defensive scenarios,” Hagari said, adding that civilian guidelines remain unchanged. The United States was reportedly informed in advance, as indicated by Israeli news agency KAN.
According to regional sources, multiple Israeli jets struck key locations across Tehran, Mashhad, and Karaj, where explosions were heard. Some sounds were attributed to Iranian air defenses. Additionally, Syria’s SANA news agency reported that Syrian defenses responded to nearby activity, with explosions echoing in Damascus.
The escalation comes after an earlier Iranian missile barrage on Israel, following the deaths of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and IRGC commander Abbas Nilforoushan.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously warned of a strong response, stating Iran would “pay for” its actions.
In alignment with a prior agreement with the United States, Israel reportedly refrained from targeting Iran’s nuclear and oil facilities to avoid wider regional disruption. The U.S. has also deployed additional military assets in the area as a precautionary measure.
While the United States is not directly involved in the military action, a senior U.S. official told CNN, “We understand that Israel is conducting targeted strikes against military targets in Iran as an exercise of self-defense and in response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack against Israel on October 1st.”
White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett added, “We would refer you to the Israeli government for more information on their operation.”
President Joe Biden, currently in Wilmington, Delaware, has been briefed on the situation and is closely monitoring developments, though his advisers are not planning a Situation Room meeting at this time.
