Iran has been rocked by a blitz of missile strikes in the early hours of Saturday morning – just weeks after Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu warned his enemy had made a “big mistake”.
The Islamic Republic had rained down missiles over Israeli cities and military targets on October 1, but now, the IDF has said it has it back with a series of “precise strikes”.
Shortly before 3am local time (12.30am in the UK), explosions were heard both in Iran and near Syria’s capital Damascus, state media in both countries said.
Just this week, Israel’s defence minister Yoav Gallant warned his country’s enemies would “pay a heavy price” for trying to harm the Jewish state.
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.
The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking… pic.twitter.com/OcHUy7nQvN
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 25, 2024
Now, Israel has taken action – and is understood to have notified the White House was notified shortly before carrying out the volley of air strikes, according to Fox News.
An American official then confirmed this to Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity – though they added there was no US involvement in the Israeli operation.
“We understand that Israel is conducting targeted strikes against military targets in Iran as an exercise of self-defence and in response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack against Israel on October 1,” a National Security Council spokesman then told CBS.
An IDF statement in the early hours of Saturday read: “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 STRIKES BACK – READ MORE:
The IDF’s military spokesman confirmed “precise strikes” were underway on SaturdayX/IDF
Iran had rained down missiles over Israel on October 1 – and now, Israel has hit back
GB NEWS/GOOGLE MAPS
“The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since October 7 – 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 necessary to defend the State of Israel and the people of Israel.”
Yoav Gallant warned his country’s enemies would “pay a heavy price” for trying to harm the Jewish state this week
REUTERS
Just days ago, classified files came to light which had allegedly revealed Israel’s plans to hit back at Iran – with US House Speaker Mike Johnson calling the leak “very concerning”.
The files, which had circulated on social media platform Telegram a week prior, contained documents which indicated Israel was preparing a “large-force employment exercise” and “covert UAV activity, almost certainly for a strike on Iran” – concerning ballistic missiles and drones, respectively.
But Iran has remained largely coy on the extent of the damage.
Its state TV said several strong explosions were heard around the capital Tehran, while semi-official Iranian outlets said explosions were also heard in the nearby city of Karaj.
Just days ago, classified files on Israel’s plans to hit back were leaked, which US House Speaker Mike Johnson called “very concerning”
GETTY
As the news broke, Iran’s Tasnim news agency said that “nothing has been reported about hearing the sound of rockets or airplanes in the sky of Tehran so far”.
Unnamed Iranian intelligence officials meanwhile told state TV that the origin of the loud explosions “could be from the activation of Iran’s air defense system.”
Iranian authorities have repeatedly warned Israel against launching an attack, saying any strike on Iran would be met with a stronger retaliation.
While in Syria, state television said explosions were also heard in the countryside around Damascus, and its central region.