Israel launched a pre-dawn aerial assault on Iranian military targets, marking the first time the Israeli military has openly attacked Iran. The strike was in response to a barrage of ballistic missiles fired by Iran earlier this month, targeting facilities used by Iran to manufacture missiles and surface-to-air missile sites. There was no indication that oil or nuclear sites were hit, which would have marked a more significant escalation.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated that the country has a right to self-defense and considers itself entitled to defend against foreign acts of aggression. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran has “no limits” in defending its interests. However, the Iranian military issued a statement suggesting that any ceasefire in Israel’s ground offensives in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon would trump any possible retaliatory strike.
Israel’s military confirmed that it targeted military bases in Ilam, Khuzestan, and Tehran provinces, causing “limited damage.” Four people were killed, all from Iran’s military air defense. The strikes risk pushing the archenemies closer to all-out war at a time of spiraling violence across the Middle East, where militant groups backed by Iran are already at war with Israel.
Israel Strikes Iranian Military Targets in Pre-Dawn Aerial Assault (Image via Getty)
US President Joe Biden said that Israel gave him a heads-up before the strikes and that they appeared to target only military targets. He expressed hope that this would be the end of the escalation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran “made a big mistake.” The strikes marked a significant escalation in the feud between the two countries, with both sides exchanging blows in recent months.
The attack did not take out highly visible or symbolic facilities that could prompt a significant response from Iran, said Yoel Guzansky, a researcher at Tel Aviv’s Institute for National Security Studies. Instead, it weakens Iran’s capabilities to defend against future attacks and gives Israel room for escalation if needed. The Israeli attack showed its military precision and capabilities are superior to Iran’s, said Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at the London-based think tank Chatham House.
