TEL AVIV: Israel attacked military targets in Iran with pre-dawn airstrikes Saturday in retaliation for the barrage of ballistic missiles the Islamic Republic fired on Israel earlier this month. It was the first time Israel’s military has openly attacked Iran.
The Israeli military said its aircraft targeted facilities that Iran used to make the missiles fired at Israel as well as surface-to-air missile sites.
Crucially, there was no indication that Iran’s oil or nuclear sites were struck. Iran insisted the strikes caused only “limited damage,” and Iranian state-run media downplayed them.
Taken together, the moves suggested at least for now that both countries are trying to avoid a more serious escalation.
Still, the strikes risk pushing the archenemies closer to all-out war at a time of spiraling violence across the Middle East, where militant groups backed by Iran — including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon — are already at war with Israel.
Following the airstrikes, Iran’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying it “considers itself entitled and obligated to defend against foreign acts of aggression. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran has “no limits” in defending its interests.
But late Saturday, Iran's military issued a carefully worded statement suggesting any cease-fire in Israel's ground offensives in Gaza and Lebanon would trump any possible retaliatory strike.
Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said four people were killed, all with the military air defense. Iran’s military said the strikes targeted military bases in Ilam, Khuzestan and Tehran provinces. But Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard was silent.
U.S. President Joe Biden told reporters Israel gave him a heads-up before the strikes and said it looked like “they didn’t hit anything but military targets.” His administration won assurances from Israel in mid-October that it would not hit nuclear facilities and oil installations.
“I hope this is the end,” Biden said.