Israel has carried out air strikes against targets in Iran. The attacks are a new eruption in an increasingly open conflict between the two countries. The bombing sparked fears of a wider war in the Middle East.
Israeli warplanes carried out attacks in several waves at night from Friday to Saturday. According to Israel, this involved ‘precise and targeted’ bombing, including of anti-aircraft installations and missile factories. No oil installations or sites of Iran’s nuclear program were attacked. The Israeli operation, cryptically codenamed “Day of Repentance,” was completed before dawn.
A new round of escalation
Israel warned Iran not to carry out another counterattack. “If the regime in Iran makes the mistake of starting a new round of escalation, we will be forced to respond,” the Israeli armed forces said ominously.
According to Iranian authorities, military bases were bombarded in the capital Tehran, the southwestern province of Khuzestan, and in the western province of Ilam. Two Iranian soldiers were said to have been killed, but the damage was said to be ‘limited’. Iranian state media showed images of various affected cities, where normal life returned on Saturday morning – the start of the working week in Iran.
Targets were also attacked in Syria, Syrian news agency Sana reported. Tehran-backed militias are active in Syria, supporting President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that the Israeli airstrikes were a “blatant violation” of international law. According to the ministry, Iran is ‘right and obliged’ to defend itself. At the same time, the department said that Tehran “recognizes its responsibility for peace and security in the region.”
Revenge to take revenge
Tensions between Israel and Iran have escalated since October 7 last year, when fighters from the Palestinian Hamas movement, backed by Iran, carried out a major terror attack from the Gaza Strip in southern Israel. Iran also supports the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, which has continued to fire missiles and drones at military and civilian targets in Israel since October 8 last year, the day after the terrorist attack.
Last night’s Israeli attack was in retaliation for Iran’s bombing on October 1 this year, when Iran fired around 180 rockets at Israel. And the Iranian bombing was another act of revenge for Israel’s killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut.
The big question now is whether Iran will counterattack again, and if so, how. Allies urged the Israeli government first not to attack Iran’s nuclear or oil facilities. The thinking is that such restraint would give Tehran the opportunity to downplay the impact of the Israeli operation and let it go. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is also said to have hinted at this in discussions with Arab governments.
But whether this escalation will end remains to be seen in the near future. Minister Araghchi last week warned that in the event of an Israeli attack, Iran would ‘retaliate in kind’.
Spiral of violence
The US government, Israel’s main ally, was notified in advance by Israel of the airstrike. Vice President Kamala Harris, who is campaigning in Texas, was also notified. Both Israel and America emphasized that the US was not involved in the operation.
As soon as Israel completed its strikes, and all Israeli planes returned safely to their bases, America warned Iran that the cycle of violence must stop now. “This should be the end of direct exchanges of fire between Israel and Iran,” said a senior administration official in Washington. If Iran responds again, as it said in the American capital, “there will be consequences.”
Earlier this month, the US sent the advanced Thaad anti-aircraft battery to Israel to assist Israel in the event of an Iranian attack if necessary. The American armed forces also reported on Thursday that additional F16s had been stationed in the region to possibly assist Israel.
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