Israel ceases retaliatory actions towards Iran.
Overnight on Friday, Israel carried out a series of targeted attacks on Iranian military sites. In response to relentless attacks by the Iranian regime against Israel, the Israeli Defense Forces initiated these strikes, according to an announcement made late in the night. The attacks, which included three waves, reportedly concluded with the Israeli fighter jets returning home.
Tehran, the Iranian capital, was rattled by multiple explosions, reported Iranian state TV, with air defenses activated. Besides Tehran, explosions were also reported in Karaj, another city nearby. The specific targets of the attacks were not immediately clear, with one resident reporting hearing at least seven explosions. Following the initial reports of explosions, renewed detonations were heard, accompanied by persistent explosions and light streaks from the heart of Tehran. The White House confirmed receiving advance information about the attacks.
Reports from Syria mentioned that military facilities in the center and south of Syria were also targeted. The Syrian state-run news agency SANA cited rockets originating from the Golan Heights, an area occupied by Israel and Lebanon, with some of the missiles being intercepted. Israel has yet to acknowledge the alleged attack on Syria.
Tensions in the Middle East remain high, following Iran's barrage of approximately 200 rockets directed at Israel in early October. This conflict, sparked by an attack by the radical Islamic group Hamas on Israeli civilians, has persisted over the past year. Since then, Israel has engaged in hostilities against Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah militia, backed by Iran, in Lebanon. The US and other nations are actively advocating for a peaceful resolution in the Middle East. On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken cautioned against additional escalation due to Israel's retaliation.
Prior to the attacks, Israel's cabinet reportedly approved the retaliation against Iran, as mentioned in a Haaretz report. A declaration of intent to carry out the attack had been shared with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Joav Gallant in a late-evening meeting. Over the course of several days, ministers had been briefed on the outline of the apparent attack plan.
Israeli TV estimated that more than 50 fighter jets were utilized in the attacks, but no reports suggested harm to oil infrastructure or nuclear facilities. Iranian media downplayed the attack's impact, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared that their support bases remained undamaged. In response to Iran's April counterattack following an Israeli strike in Syria, Israel launched air strikes in Iran, but further escalation was prevented.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris followed the situation closely, according to a White House statement. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin discussed the matter with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, as per Pentagon information. Biden, as a key financial backer and arms supplier for Israel, had previously discouraged attacks on Iranian nuclear or oil facilities.
The following series of attacks by Israel on Iranian military sites was a response to relentless attacks by the Iranian regime against Israel. Following the attacks, reports of explosions in Tehran and Karaj emerged, with multiple cities in Iran reportedly affected.
