On Saturday, 26th October, Israel announced the completion of its retaliatory airstrikes against Iran. “I can now confirm that we have concluded the Israeli response to Iran’s attacks against Israel. We conducted targeted and precise strikes on military targets in Iran — thwarting immediate threats to the State of Israel”, IDF Spokesperson RAdm. Daniel Hagari said.
“I can now confirm that we have concluded the Israeli response to Iran’s attacks against Israel. We conducted targeted and precise strikes on military targets in Iran — thwarting immediate threats to the State of Israel.”
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 26, 2024
Watch IDF Spokesperson RAdm. Daniel Hagari talk about the… pic.twitter.com/1OOss3etpV
Earlier, Israel conducted airstrikes targeting sensitive military sites in Iran. Over 100 Israeli Defense Forces aircrafts flew to Iran to bomb military locations in response to Iran’s missile attack earlier this month. According to a Reuters report, Iranian media reported three waves of explosions lasting more than two hours in Tehran (Iran’s capital) and at nearby military installations.
The Chief of the General Staff, LTG Herzi Halevi, is currently commanding the strike on Iran from the Israeli Air Force underground command center in Camp Rabin (The Kirya) with the Commanding Officer of the Israeli Air Force, Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar. pic.twitter.com/HChm7XdTds
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 26, 2024
According to IDF, fighter jets, refuelers and spy planes, took part in the strikes. They traveled 1,600 KM from Israel to conduct the strikes. The aircrafts returned safely after the complex operation.
BREAKING: ISRAEL ATTACK ON IRAN FAILED
— Sulaiman Ahmed (@ShaykhSulaiman) October 26, 2024
Israel attempted to target 3 bases in Tehran province, but Iran's air defense has countered them all.
Source: Al Mayadeen pic.twitter.com/ZJMC59fUfM
Earlier this month, on 1st October, Iran fired around 200 missiles at Israel, marking the second direct attack on Israel in the last six months. Since then, Israel’s retaliation was anticipated, putting the Middle East on edge.
The IDF issued a statement on social media, saying, “In response to months of continuous attacks from the regime in Iran against the State of Israel—right now, the Israel Defense Forces are conducting precise strikes on military targets in Iran. The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since October 7th—on seven fronts—including direct attacks from Iranian soil. Like every other sovereign country in the world, the State of Israel has the right and the duty to respond. Our defensive and offensive capabilities are fully mobilised. We will do whatever is necessary to defend the State of Israel and the people of Israel.”
In response to months of continuous attacks from the regime in Iran against the State of Israel—right now the Israel Defense Forces is conducting precise strikes on military targets in Iran.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 25, 2024
The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking… pic.twitter.com/OcHUy7nQvN
Israel has already eliminated the top leadership of the Iran-backed terrorist organisation Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran’s missile attack was a retaliation move of Israeli strikes on Hezbollah operatives and leadership. Israel had assured retaliation at the right time. Hezbollah has been supporting Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist outfit that conducted a terrorist attack on Israel on 7th October 2023, leaving over 1,300 Israelis and foreign nationals dead. Hamas also took several hundred hostages, over 100 of whom are still in Gaza, with Hamas repeatedly refusing to release them. Following the attack, Israel started a military operation to wipe out Hamas. Israel-Hamas war has since entered its 13th month.
The US was informed about the strikes beforehand
According to Reuters, the United States was notified about the strikes beforehand, but the US was not involved in the operation. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant spoke to US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin shortly after the strikes began. The US has reportedly convinced Israel to calibrate the airstrike to ensure the war between the two nations does not escalate. However, in the event of retaliation from Iran, the US has assured it will provide aid as required. The decision included deploying the US military’s THAAD anti-missile defences in Israel along with around 100 US soldiers to operate them.
Amid the ongoing strike in Iran, United States President Joe Biden issued a statement warning that the US would not support airstrikes by Israel on nuclear sites in Iran. The US further asked Israel to opt for attacking oil fields in Iran instead.
Iran downplays Israeli attack
Iranian media has downplayed the attack, suggesting that the air defence systems reacted as they should. A military spokesperson was quoted by Iranian state TV as saying that the explosions heard in Tehran were linked to “air defence systems reacting to efforts by the Zionist regime (Israel) to attack three locations outside the city of Tehran.”
Footage shows #Iranian air defense actively intercepting hostile targets over #Tehran. pic.twitter.com/TCNeUbT20m
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 26, 2024
IRNA reported that anti-aircraft guns were heard in central Tehran. According to the Iranian Fars news agency, several military bases in the west and southwest of Tehran were targeted by Israel. Several other news agencies and media houses in Iran claimed the military bases attacked by Israel were not damaged. According to Syrian state news agency SANA, Israel also targeted some military sites in central and southern parts of Syria early on Saturday, and missiles launched by Israel were intercepted by Syrian air defence.
