The Israel Defense Forces has confirmed launching airstrikes on military targets in Iran, stating that the operation was conducted to respond to months of continuous attacks by the Iranian regime against the State of Israel. According to Israeli officials, the airstrikes targeted missile manufacturing facilities used to produce missiles that have been fired at Israel over the past year, posing a direct and immediate threat to Israeli citizens. The military statement noted that the facilities were struck to prevent further attacks and to ensure the safety of Israeli citizens.
Iranian state media reported the sounds of explosions near the capital city, Tehran, but provided no information on damage or casualties. The country’s air defense systems were reported to be active, and international flights began diverting around western Iran as a result of the airstrikes.
Israeli officials have emphasized that the strikes were not targeting Iran’s nuclear or oil facilities, but rather military targets that pose a threat to the country’s security. The decision to strike comes as tensions have been escalating between Israel and Iran, with the Iranian regime firing a wave of missiles and drones at Israel in April in response to the killing of two Iranian military figures in an apparent Israeli airstrike in Syria.
Israel Strikes Back Against Iran’s Threats (Image via Getty)
In recent weeks, the conflict between Israel and Iran has intensified, with Israel launching strikes against Iranian targets in Syria and Lebanon. The attacks have been in response to repeated rocket fire from Hamas and Hezbollah, and have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians and Syrians.
The strikes also come as the US has been warning Israel to avoid further escalating the conflict in the region. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had arrived in the Middle East earlier this week to warn against such action, and it is unclear whether the Israeli operation will lead to a further escalation of tensions in the region.
Despite the uncertainty, Israeli officials have emphasized that the strikes were necessary to respond to the threat posed by Iran and its proxies in the region. “The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since October 7th – on seven fronts – including direct attacks from Iranian soil,” the Israeli military statement noted. “Israel has the right and the duty to respond to these attacks and to protect its citizens from the threats posed by the Iranian regime.”
