Israel Strikes Iranian Military Facilities
- 26.10.2024, 8:06
This was a response to recent missile attacks by Tehran.
On the night of October 26, Israel struck Iran. Several military facilities near Tehran were attacked: missile and air defense factories were hit.
Israel called the attack “a response to months of continuous attacks”, and Tehran has already promised a “proportional response”. The details are reported by the Israeli publication The Times of Israel.
Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported that several military bases in the Tehran area had been targeted in Israeli strikes. It specified that several bases in the western and southern areas of the capital had been attacked.
Iranian media also said there were no fires or explosions reported at a key refinery south of the capital, and operations at Tehran’s airports were continuing as usual.
After some time, the main Israeli TV channels reported a second wave of strikes on Iran. In particular, according to Channel 12, the eastern part of Tehran and the command facility of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps came under fire.
AFP correspondents noted that after the new explosions, continuous explosions and traces of light were visible in the sky in the center of Tehran. And Reuters quoted local media, which reported that four more explosions thundered in eastern Tehran and that the capital's “air defense is still working”.
According to ABC News, the attack will last one night. There were no reports of losses or damage to Israeli military aircraft.
The same Channel 12 reported that the first wave of Israeli airstrikes targeted missile and air defense production facilities.
Former IDF Operations Directorate Chief Israel Ziv called the Israeli strikes “historic”: according to him, Israel “did whatever it wanted for hours” in Iranian airspace, targeting some of its most important targets. And the fact that only military targets were hit, according to Ziv, “puts Iran in a dilemma”.
The IDF later confirmed the attack and its completion. The Israeli military noted that “the IDF carried out precise and targeted strikes against military targets in several areas of Iran” and assured that all aircraft involved in the attack had successfully returned to base.
The strike, the IDF added, was a response to Iran's recent attacks on Israel, with missile factories being key targets.
“The strike was carried out in response to the Iranian regime's attacks on the State of Israel and its citizens in recent months. The retaliatory strike was carried out, the mission was accomplished. According to intelligence, IAF aircraft carried out strikes against missile factories that were used to produce the missiles that Iran fired at the State of Israel over the past year. These missiles posed a direct and immediate threat to the citizens of the State of Israel,” the statement said.
The Israeli military also struck Iranian air defense systems that “aimed at restricting Israel’s freedom of air operations in Iran.” And it vowed to repeat the attack if Tehran “retaliated.”
“Iran fired hundreds of missiles directly at the State of Israel in two attacks in April and October, and finances and directs terrorist activities through its terrorist proxies throughout the Middle East to attack the State of Israel and its citizens. In addition to Iran’s efforts to attack Israel, Iran is acting to undermine regional stability and security, as well as the global economy. The IDF has a range of offensive operational capabilities, some of which were deployed today during strikes on strategic targets deep inside Iranian territory. The State of Israel reserves the right to defend its citizens if the Iranian regime continues to attack the State of Israel and its civilian population. The IDF is constantly assessing the situation and is prepared for defensive and offensive action,” the statement emphasizes.
Axios notes that Israel’s attack on October 26 is the first time in history that the Israeli authorities have officially taken responsibility for a military operation on Iranian territory.
Against the backdrop of the night attack, according to The Times of Israel, a telephone conversation took place between US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant. However, the source did not say what exactly was discussed in this conversation and how long it lasted.
At the same time, it is known that at the height of the Israeli attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gathered Israeli officials to assess the security situation.
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is assessing the security situation at the Kirya air base with the defense minister, the army chief, the head of the Mossad and the head of the Shin Bet,” Netanyahu’s office said.
According to a CNN source, Israel warned the White House of the strikes in advance.
US officials said the Biden administration was notified hours before the Israeli airstrike would take place Friday night.
After the attack, Tehran promised Israel a proportionate response to the overnight strikes.
“There is no doubt that Israel will face a proportionate response to any action it takes,” the Iranian Tasnim news agency quoted the source as saying.