Israel launched pre-dawn airstrikes on Saturday, targeting Iranian military sites in response to Iran’s recent barrage of ballistic missiles aimed at Israel. This marks the first time Israel has openly attacked Iran.
According to the Israeli military, the strikes targeted facilities used to manufacture the missiles aimed at Israel and included surface-to-air missile sites. Notably, there was no indication of strikes on Iran’s oil or nuclear infrastructure. Iran reported only “limited damage” and downplayed the impact, hinting that both sides may currently aim to avoid a significant escalation.
However, the strikes raise the risk of heightened conflict between the two archenemies amid escalating violence across the Middle East, where Iran-backed groups like Hamas and Hezbollah are already engaged in combat with Israel. Following the strikes, Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated it “considers itself entitled and obligated to defend against foreign acts of aggression,” though its military also indicated that a cease-fire in Israel’s ground offensives could take priority over any retaliation.
Iranian state-run IRNA reported four fatalities among military air defense personnel, with strikes reportedly targeting bases in Ilam, Khuzestan, and Tehran provinces. Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard, responsible for the country’s ballistic missile program, remained silent, raising questions about whether its bases were affected.
U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed that Israel had informed him before the strikes and noted that only military targets were hit. The U.S. previously obtained assurances from Israel that nuclear and oil sites would not be targeted, which was echoed by the International Atomic Energy Agency confirming Iran’s nuclear sites were unaffected. “I hope this is the end,” Biden remarked.
Explosions were heard in Tehran until sunrise, and this operation followed an April airstrike Israel is suspected of conducting near an Iranian airbase. On October 1, Iran retaliated against Israeli attacks on Hezbollah by launching 180 missiles into Israel, causing limited damage. Israel’s military spokesperson, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, warned that any further escalation by Iran would be met with a forceful response.
Images from the Israeli military showed pilots preparing American-made F-15 and F-16 warplanes for the strikes, which reportedly targeted radar stations from a distance of about 62 miles (100 kilometers) from Iran’s border. Iran’s U.N. mission accused the U.S. of “complicity,” stating it controls Iraqi airspace.
By avoiding more symbolic or high-profile targets, Israel seems to signal its intent to prevent further escalation, according to Yoel Guzansky from the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. Targeting air defenses, he noted, weakens Iran’s ability to counter future attacks. Sanam Vakil of Chatham House similarly emphasized that by focusing on military, not nuclear or energy targets, Israel is signaling restraint.
While calm returned to Tehran’s streets following the strikes, anxiety lingered among residents. Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized the decision not to target Iran’s “strategic and economic” assets, while the U.S., Britain, and Germany urged restraint from both sides. The U.N. called for an end to escalating violence, while regional powers like Saudi Arabia condemned the attack as a violation of Iran’s sovereignty.
Amid increasing regional tensions, Hezbollah in Lebanon warned 25 Israeli communities to evacuate, identifying them as “legitimate military targets” due to Israel’s attacks on the group. Enemies since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, Israel and Iran’s shadow conflict has seen high-profile assassinations, sabotage, and attacks on Middle Eastern shipping.
The two nations’ conflict intensified after the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas and other militant groups, which left 1,200 dead and hundreds taken hostage. Israel responded with a massive offensive on Gaza, resulting in heavy civilian casualties and raising tensions across the region.
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