In the early hours of Saturday, Israel launched a series of airstrikes on multiple military targets in Iran, marking a significant escalation in regional tensions. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the “precise strikes” targeted strategic military sites, including drone and ballistic missile manufacturing facilities and air defense batteries.
This operation was a direct response to Iran’s ballistic missile attacks on Israel earlier this month and in April.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened with top officials, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and military leaders, to assess the security situation as the strikes commenced. Netanyahu’s office emphasized that “Israel chose the targets ahead of time, based on its national interests,” denying reports that US pressure influenced the operation’s scope.
Details of the Operation
Under the cover of night, more than 100 combat aircraft, including fighter jets and unmanned drones, took off from Israel, according to several Israeli officials. To prevent interceptions by Iran’s allies, the jets first targeted air defense batteries and radars in Syria and Iraq. After clearing the way, the aircraft proceeded toward Iran, over 1,000 miles from Israel, and struck its air defense systems.
According to officials, a second wave of jets targeted Iran’s long-range missile production sites, specifically aiming to destroy a critical component in the production process. The strikes avoided energy infrastructure like oil and gas production sites. “We’re targeting things that might have threatened us in the past or could do in the future,” an Israeli official stated.
Israel targeted roughly 20 sites over the course of the night. Around 6 a.m. local time, the Israeli military announced that the operation was complete. The IDF confirmed that all aircraft returned safely after the mission. IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said that the strikes were a defensive measure. “We conducted targeted and precise strikes on military targets in Iran—thwarting immediate threats to the State of Israel,” the spokesman said.
Iran’s Response and Casualties
Iran acknowledged that military sites in Tehran and other provinces were targeted but claimed that its air defense systems successfully countered the attacks, resulting in “limited damage.” The Iranian army reported that four soldiers were killed during the strikes. “Iran has the right and the duty to defend itself against foreign acts of aggression,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated, citing the United Nations Charter.
Despite initial reports of significant damage, Iranian state media downplayed the impact. A source quoted by the semiofficial Tasnim news agency denied the IDF’s claim that dozens of fighter jets participated in the operation, calling it an exaggeration intended to overstate the attack’s effectiveness. Iran said that Israel had attacked military bases in three provinces—Tehran and two near the Iraqi border, Ilam and Khuzestan.
International Reactions
Global leaders reacted swiftly to the escalation. US President Joe Biden noted that Israel appeared to have exclusively hit military targets and expressed hope that this would mark the end of recent hostilities. “It looks like they didn’t hit anything other than military targets. My hope is this is the end,” President Biden told reporters.
Russia voiced concerns about an “explosive escalation,” urging all parties to exercise restraint. Maria Zakharova, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, stated, “We urge all parties involved to exercise restraint, stop the violence, and prevent events from developing into a catastrophic scenario.”
Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz called on Tehran to end the cycle of escalation, emphasizing that restraint could pave the way for peace in the Middle East. “We cannot continue with massive reactions of escalation. This must end now. This will provide an opportunity for peaceful development in the Middle East,” Scholz wrote.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Iran should not respond to the Israeli strikes. “I am clear that Israel has the right to defend itself against Iranian aggression,” the British prime minister said in a statement. “I’m equally clear that we need to avoid further regional escalation and urge all sides to show restraint. Iran should not respond,” he added.
Regional Impact and Responses
Neighboring countries also responded to the developments.
The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia condemned the strikes, urging maximum restraint to avoid further destabilization. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry stated that the attacks on Iran were a “violation of its sovereignty” and international laws.
Jordan denied allowing any fighter jets to cross its airspace, with state media citing a military source. Egypt expressed grave concern over the escalation, condemning actions that threaten regional security. Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani expressed “grave concern” over the potential consequences during a call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi.
Reactions Within Israel
At home, reactions were mixed among Israeli politicians. President Isaac Herzog praised all who took part in the strikes, stating that they were “very important for establishing the security of the State of Israel and the defense of its citizens.” He also thanked the United States for its “overt and covert” cooperation.
However, leading politicians—both inside and outside Netanyahu’s coalition—lamented the strikes as not aggressive enough. Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s hard-line national security minister, said the Israeli strikes on Iran should serve as an “opening blow” to be followed by further strikes on Tehran’s strategic assets. ”We have a historical obligation to remove the Iranian threat to destroy Israel,” he said.
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid criticized Netanyahu’s government for ultimately deciding on targets that aligned with Washington’s requests. “The decision not to target strategic and economic targets in Iran was a mistake,” Lapid said. “We could and should have made Iran pay a much higher price.”
Avigdor Liberman, a hawkish ally-turned-critic of Netanyahu who leads the right-wing Yisrael Beitenu party, similarly slammed the Israeli government for not going far enough. “Unfortunately, it seems that instead of exacting a real price, the Israeli government is satisfying itself with operations that are purely for show and public relations. They are buying quiet rather than seeking clear victory,” Liberman said.
A handful of politicians—including ones who rarely align with Netanyahu—did suggest that they agreed with the government’s strategy. Yair Golan, a left-wing politician and retired general who heads The Democrats, a merger of the Labor and Meretz parties, said the Israeli response had most likely damaged Iran’s military capabilities “without dragging us into an inevitable war of attrition.”
Future Implications
IDF spokesman Hagari warned that Israel was prepared to respond if Iran chose to escalate further. “If the regime in Iran were to make the mistake of beginning a new round of escalation—we will be obligated to respond,” he said. The military added that it has a wide bank of targets in Iran that it can hit in future operations if required.
The United States affirmed its support for Israel’s right to self-defense. A senior Biden Administration official noted that while the US was not a participant in the attack, it had worked with Israeli counterparts to encourage a response that was targeted and proportional. “This should be the end of this direct exchange of fire between Israel and Iran,” the official said. “Accordingly, we will call on all countries of influence to press Iran to stop these attacks against Israel so that we can move beyond this direct cycle of attacks over the coming days.”
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