Israel carried out airstrikes on military targets in Iran on Saturday, killing at least two soldiers in response to a recent missile attack, intensifying fears of a broader Middle East conflict.
Israel had warned Iran of a “heavy price” if it retaliated, while the United States and Britain called on Tehran to avoid escalating the situation further. Iran, however, asserted its “right and duty” to self-defense, with Hezbollah, its ally in Lebanon, claiming to have struck an Israeli airbase in the south and a northern intelligence post.
After explosions and anti-aircraft fire echoed through Tehran, Israeli forces confirmed strikes on Iranian missile factories and other military sites across several regions. A military spokesperson stated the “retaliatory strike has been completed,” and that Israeli aircraft “returned safely.”
Iran confirmed Israel had attacked military sites near Tehran and other areas, acknowledging two fatalities and some damage.
– Direct Escalation –
“Iran has the right and duty to defend itself against acts of foreign aggression,” said its foreign ministry, citing Article 51 of the UN Charter.
The exchange followed Iran’s missile attack on October 1, which involved 200 rockets in what was only the second direct strike against Israel. Despite most being intercepted, one Israeli civilian was killed.
The Israeli retaliation drew widespread condemnation, with leaders from Hamas, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia all warning against further escalation. Jordan clarified that Israeli jets did not use its airspace during the operation.
Hezbollah, meanwhile, claimed responsibility for launching drones and rockets at Israeli positions near Aita al-Shaab in southern Lebanon and the Tel Nof airbase, south of Tel Aviv—marking its first attempt to strike this site in the current conflict.
Israel is already engaged in multi-front combat. Since last month, it has carried out airstrikes and ground incursions in Lebanon to counter Hezbollah, resulting in significant leadership losses for the group.
In Gaza, Israel has been waging a prolonged offensive following the October 7 cross-border attacks by Hamas, which led to high civilian casualties amid a severe humanitarian crisis.
The UN has warned of the worsening crisis in Gaza, where residents face daily bombings and critical shortages of supplies.
Beyond Hezbollah and Hamas, Iran’s allies in Yemen, Iraq, and Syria have also launched attacks amid the fallout from the Gaza war. At around the same time as the strikes in Iran, Syria’s state news agency reported Israeli airstrikes on military targets in central and southern Syria.
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– Regional Tensions Escalate –
In Iraq, the Islamic Resistance, a coalition of pro-Iran factions, took responsibility for a Saturday drone attack on a northern Israeli military target. Meanwhile, two Israeli civilians were killed by Hezbollah’s rockets on Friday.
US National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett called Israel’s strikes an “act of self-defense,” urging Iran to “cease attacks on Israel to end this cycle of fighting.”
The Israeli military blames Iran and its regional proxies for the ongoing hostilities since October 7, when Hamas attacked Israel, igniting the Gaza war.
That initial attack caused the deaths of 1,206 people, primarily civilians, with captives from that day still held by militants in Gaza. Israel’s response has led to 42,924 deaths in Gaza, primarily civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, figures the United Nations deems reliable.
Since late September, Israel has also focused on Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah leadership and missile sites, aiming to secure northern Israel for displaced civilians.
In April, Iran had launched over 300 drones and missiles at Israel, which it claimed was retaliation for an Israeli attack in Damascus that killed members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps.
– Humanitarian Concerns –
Iran stated its October 1 missile strikes on Israel were in response to an Israeli raid that killed Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas’s Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
On Friday, Gaza’s health ministry accused Israeli forces of storming the last functioning hospital in northern Gaza, resulting in the deaths of two children.
The Israeli military has stated that its forces are seeking to neutralize Hamas’s rebuilt capabilities in northern Gaza but has not acknowledged strikes within the hospital area.
The UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, warned that Israel’s actions in Gaza’s north risk displacing the entire Palestinian population, stating the situation may lead to “atrocity crimes and possibly crimes against humanity.”
He added, “Tragically, the situation worsens by the day”