How the Israeli attack on Iran took place and what we know so far

Israel carried out a series of direct air strikes against Iran overnight, a high-stakes retaliatory strike that threatened to push the Middle East closer to a regional war.

The Israeli military said it ended its air strikes in the early morning hours Saturday, hitting military targets and air defenses across Iran.

While the attacks were reported to target missile manufacturing facilities, they did not appear to target the country’s most sensitive oil and nuclear targets following urgent calls for restraint from allies and neighbors following the previous exchange.

The risk of direct conflict between Israel and Iran – the Middle East’s two largest military powers – has long threatened the broader security of a region already besieged by hostilities in Gaza and Lebanon. While the United States has insisted that “this should be the end of direct military exchanges between Israel and Iran,” it is not yet clear whether the latest attacks will trigger further escalation.

Since then, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has insisted that it has the “authority and obligation to defend against external aggressive acts.”

How did Israel attack Iran?

The strikes carried out in the early hours of Saturday morning consisted of three waves of what the Israel Defense Forces described as “precision strikes” targeting missile factories and military bases.

Several explosions were reported over Tehran, Karaj and Mashhad just after 2:30 a.m. local time as Israeli fighter jets fired at military targets, triggering Iranian air defense systems.

Amid the rocket fire, Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said: “In response to months of sustained attacks by the regime in Iran against the State of Israel – the IDF is currently conducting precision attacks against military targets in Iran. “

The attack on Iran ended just before sunrise in Tehran, with the Israeli military insisting it had “accomplished its mission” by carrying out what it called “targeted and precise attacks on military targets in Iran.”

Dozens of fighter jets were involved in the attacks, Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported.

Israel’s admission of attack on Iran is a rare move by the IDF, which has not previously commented on similar military actions. The move seemed to show that the long-running shadow war between the two military powers had entered a new, more open phase.

Meanwhile, Tehran appeared to downplay the airstrikes, saying the damage was only minimal. A regime spokesman said Tehran’s airport was operating normally.

Iran later confirmed that two soldiers were killed in the attacks.

Was the US involved in the attacks on Iran?

In an overnight conference call, a senior U.S. official told reporters that the United States did not participate in Saturday’s strikes but was working with the Israeli government to encourage “low-risk” attacks that minimized civilian damage.

“The result was a proportionate response in self-defense. The effect is to deter future attacks and limit Iran’s ability to carry out future attacks,” the official said.

They added that the United States considered the attacks “the end of the exchange of fire between Israel and Iran.”

“This should be the end of direct military exchanges between Israel and Iran – we had a direct exchange in April that was closed, and now we have had this direct exchange again.”

What was Israel’s retaliatory attack?

Israel’s retaliatory attacks on Iran have been expected for several weeks after the Islamic regime fired 180 rockets at Tel Aviv earlier this month.

Tehran’s October 1 attack, most of which was shot down by Israeli air defenses with US forces, targeted Israel’s economic center and a number of military bases.

The Iranian attack was also in response to a series of Israeli attacks on Hezbollah – an Iranian proxy long supported financially and militarily by the Islamic regime in Tehran – after the killing of its leader Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike in September. Israel also sent troops across its northern border into Lebanon and entered direct conflict with the militant group.

Israel’s war with Hezbollah has been ravaging for almost a month, killing thousands of people.

What did Britain say after the strikes?

Britain urged Tehran not to take retaliatory action following the overnight strikes and said it was “closely monitoring developments in the Middle East.”

Speaking at a press conference at the Commonwealth Summit in Samoa, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “I am clear that Israel has the right to defend itself against Iranian aggression and I am equally clear that we must avoid further regional escalation and call on all parties to show restraint.

“Iran should not respond. We will continue to work with allies to de-escalate the situation across the region.”

A No 10 spokesman said on Saturday morning that the government supports Israel’s “right to self-defense and defend itself” as long as it respects “international humanitarian law.”

“Further escalation is in no one’s interest,” the statement said.