Israel-Iran latest: Tehran warns it is ‘obligated’ to defend itself in wake of Israeli revenge strikes
Two soldiers have been killed in Israeli strikes on Iran as Hamas says attack is an ‘escalation’
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Iran has said it is “obligated and entitled to defend itself” after Israeli revenge strikes hit military sites on Saturday.
The attack, which Israel described as “precise and targeted”, further escalates the conflict between the two adversaries and risks a wider war in the Middle East.
Multiple countries have condemned the “dangerous” escalation and called for “regional peace and stability”. The Israeli strikes were in response to a barrage of missiles launched by Iran in early October. A Biden official has said that the latest strikes from Israel “should be the end” of the tit-for-tat conflict between the two countries.
The attack began shortly after 2am local time as Iranian media reported explosions in Tehran and surrounding areas.
Iran’s air defences reportedly intercepted many of the Israeli drones and missiles over the provinces of Tehran, Khuzestan and Ilam, and Tehran said the attack caused only “limited damage”.
Hamas has said that the strikes are a “flagrant violation of Iranian sovereignty and an escalation that threatens the security of the region.”
US was notified by Israel in advance, official says
Israel said prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, defence minister Yoav Gallant and other security officials were closely following the operation at the military’s command and control centre in Tel Aviv.
Mr Gallant spoke to US defence secretary Lloyd Austin shortly after Israel’s response began, a US defence official said.
The United States was notified by Israel ahead of its strikes on targets in Iran but was not involved in the operation, another US official told Reuters.
US secretary of state Antony Blinken, in the Middle East for another attempt to broker a peace deal, said on Wednesday Israel’s retaliation should not lead to greater escalation.
Even as it sought to convince Israel to calibrate its strikes, the United States moved to reassure its closest ally in the Middle East that it would aid in its defence should Tehran decide to stage a counter-attack.
This included Biden’s decision to move the US military’s Thaad anti-missile defences to Israel, along with about 100 US soldiers to operate them.
Iran plays down strikes
Iranian state TV quoted a military spokesperson as saying the explosions heard in Tehran were linked “to air defense systems reacting to efforts by the Zionist regime to attack three locations outside the city of Tehran”.
Footage carried by Iranian media showed air defences continuously firing at apparently incoming projectiles in central Tehran, without saying which sites were coming under attack.
The semi-official Iranian Fars news agency said several military bases in the west and southwest of Tehran had been targeted.
Iran cancels flights amid Israel attack
A spokesperson for Iran’s Civil Aviation Organisation said flights on all routes were cancelled until further notice, state news agency IRNA reported.
Neighbouring Iraq also suspended flights in all of its airports until further notice, its state news agency said.
Iran says Israeli attacks thwarted, caused 'limited damage'
Iran said its air defence system successfully countered Israel’s attacks but that “limited damage” was caused to some locations.
In a statement, the Iranian air defence said Israel attacked military targets in the provinces of Tehran, Khuzestan and Ilam.
Operation against Iran over, says Israeli public broadcaster
Israeli public broadcaster said on Saturday the operation against Iran was over after three waves of strikes.
Israel announced launching airstrikes against Iran on Saturday, weeks after the Islamic Republic’s massive ballistic missile barrage, with the military saying the “precise strikes” targeted Iranian military sites.
‘Further escalation in no one’s interest,’ says Downing Street
The government has issued a statement after Israel launched a series of strikes against Iran.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “We are monitoring this situation closely.
“We support Israel’s right to self-defence and to protect itself in line with international humanitarian law. Further escalation is in no one’s interest.”
Video of Israel’s attack on Iran
Israeli attacks expected to last one night: report
According to ABC News, sources insist that the Israeli attacks are expected to last just one night.
PM Netanyahu at IDF HQ overseeing Iran attacks
Prime Minister Netanyahu at IDF HQ monitoring the attack on Iran pic.twitter.com/L7Br4jXrdy
— Mossad Commentary (@MOSSADil) October 25, 2024
Photo: Israeli generals command attack on Iran from base in Tel Aviv
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