Israel struck back Saturday night with a series of aerial sorties against Iran for nearly 200 ballistic missiles fired at Israel by Iran on October 1. The airstrikes hit key Iranian sites, including air defense systems and missile manufacturing facilities, reports the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The IDF said their retaliatory actions are now complete, though they remain on alert for any further escalation from Iran.
Iranian state media report that two Iranian soldiers were killed in the strikes, though other reports have downplayed the scale of the damage. Israeli military spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the operation showed Israel was prepared to defend itself against regional threats and warned Iran against further escalation.
Both the United States and the United Kingdom have urged Iran not to retaliate against the airstrikes. Senior U.S. officials said Washington had been warned ahead of time that Israel would stage strikes on Iran but did not take part. The Biden administration keeps pushing Israel to respond not to harm civilians but merely to target military resources that do not touch the sensitive nuclear and oil facilities. The British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he supports Israel’s right to defend but asked Iran to exercise restraint in its actions.
State media of Syria reported that the attack against the country was launched also by Israel, aiming sites connected to Iranian operation. Flights were suspended shortly after strikes. But some hours later, traffic over the air resumed in daily life in big cities remained largely undisturbed. According to local sources there were sounds of explosion heard over Tehran, Khuzestan, and Ilam, with some buildings sustained damage.
Both Washington and London have vowed to continue diplomatic efforts at de-escalating the situation, with close monitoring in place amid concerns about the region’s stability.