TEHRAN: Israel launched strikes against targets in Iran early Saturday, with the Israel army claiming on social media that it was in “reply to months of continuous strikes” by Tehran.
Arab media cited Israeli army X as claiming, “Right now the Israeli Army is conducting precise attacks on military targets in Iran,”.
Israel has been planning a reply to a ballistic-missile barrage conducted by Iran on October 1, Iran’s second direct strike on Israel in last six months.
In Tehran, the sound of blasts could be heard, with state-run media there earlier admitted at least six explosions were heard around the city and adding some of the sounds came from air defense systems around Tehran.
Sound of Blasts Heard Around Tehran
A Tehran inhabitant told The AP that around 7 blasts could be heard, which rattled the surrounding area. Iran’s official TV later stated that operations at city’s airports were “normal.”
Israel’s attacks on Iran did not include striking Iranian nuclear facilities, oil fields, and focused on military targets, ABC News and NBC News reported, quoting an Israeli official.
In Washington, White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett stated that the “targeted attacks on military targets” are “an exercise of self-defense and in reply to Iran’s ballistic missile strike against Israel on October 1.”
AFP cited a US defense official as saying that the US was “informed beforehand and there is no role of the US in it.
Tehran has launched two ballistic missile strikes on Israel in recent months amid the current Israel-Hamas war in Gaza that began on October 7. Israel also has also launched a ground offensive of Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Syrian official media stated that Israeli air strikes targeted some military areas in central and southern Syria.
