Israeli Army Says It Is Conducting 'Precise Strikes' Against Military Targets in Iran - Israel News - Haaretz.com
The Israeli army launched a series of strikes on military targets in Iran overnight into Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces announced in a statement.
"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," IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a statement released to the media.
Hagari added that the strikes are being conducted in accordance with the political leadership's directive, and that there is no change to the Home Front Command's instructions for the Israeli public.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Friday night.Credit: Avi Ohayon/GPO
The Israeli cabinet authorized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to carry out the attack on Iran in a phone discussion that took place earlier on Friday night. Israeli cabinet ministers had been updated in previous days about the framework of the apparent attack plan.
The strikes come after Iran launched around 180 missiles at Israel earlier in October. Immediately after the missile attack, Israel issued a statement saying that "Iran must pay a very heavy price for its attack on Israel. Israel will respond harshly and will defend its citizens."
Several strong explosions were heard in Iran's capital Tehran and the nearby city of Karaj city, Iranian state media initially reported overnight into Saturday. The New York Times further reported that Iranians said that other explosions were occurring in additional cities in Iran, including in Isfahan and Shahid.
Iran's Fars News Agency reported that according to the information they currently have, the targets of the Israeli attack were military bases in western Iran. It was also reported that there are currently no signs of an attack on nuclear or oil facilities.
IDF Chief of Staff Herzl Halevi with the commander of Israel's air force, Tomer Bar, at the IDF's military HQ in Tel Aviv, Saturday.Credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit
An Israeli source also told NBC that Israel is not attacking nuclear facilities or oil fields.
Iranian media outlets later presented the Israeli attack as limited in scope. The Tasnim News Agency reported that no Revolutionary Guards compounds were damaged in Iran's western and southern areas. A reporter for the Al Mayadeen network reported that an attempt was made to attack three targets in the Tehran area, but that air defense systems managed to intercept the missiles.
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CNN reported that Iran closed its airspace early on Saturday morning. It was simultaneously reported by a state news agency that Iraq suspended flights in all airports until further notice.
Israel informed the U.S. of its attack on Iran ahead of time, one Israeli and one American official confirmed overnight into Saturday.
A U.S. National Security Council spokesperson said: "We understand that Israel is conducting targeted strikes against military targets in Iran as an exercise of self-defense and in response to Iran's ballistic missile attack against Israel on October 1. We would refer you to the Israeli government for more information on their operation."
FILE PHOTO: An Israeli fighter jet in April.Credit: Ohad Zwigenberg/AP
Israel's attack in Iran comes hours after CENTCOM announced U.S. Air Force F-16s from the 480th Fighter Squadron based at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany had arrived in CENTCOM's area of responsibility.
U.S. defense officials initially declined to comment on the attack, though U.S. officials have been pushing Israel to avoid targeting Iranian nuclear or oil sites in hopes of not provoking a further Iranian response and intensifying the conflict.
When asked about the new squadron earlier Friday, U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said "our commitment to Israel's security remains ironclad, and that means, as appropriate, making force posture changes that we think need to be made to help Israel defend itself. And I don't think I can really go beyond that."