Daylight broke in Iran several hours after the Israeli air strikes. The Israeli military said the strikes, which have now ended, were in response to Iranian ballistic missile attacks on Israel earlier this month and in April.
The Israeli military has warned Iran against further escalation, saying it “reserves the right to defend its citizens”, as fears grow that the long-running standoff between the two powerful militaries could escalate into a wider regional war – which could draw in the United States.
The Israeli army said it struck manufacturing sites used to produce missiles that Iran fired at Israel over the past year. It is unclear whether these manufacturing facilities also produced missiles launched by Iranian proxies such as Hezbollah, Hamas and Houthi rebels in Yemen as tensions in the region have risen since the Israeli invasion of Gaza more than a year ago.
Israel also said it struck Iranian air defense sites early Saturday to allow its planes to attack other targets.
The official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) said parts of military sites in three provinces – Tehran, Ilam and Khuzestan – were bombed, but said its air defenses were successful and damage was “limited.”
The agency said: “The dimensions of this incident are under investigation.” Earlier, videos posted by Tehran residents on social media showed explosions in the sky, and fires rising from the city as dawn approached.
Pictures broadcast by Iranian official media showed calm in the streets of Tehran, with traffic moving and people going about their daily work.
Israeli officials said Israel’s decision to launch an attack early Saturday morning came after weeks of deliberations within the security cabinet about the nature and scope of such an attack.
The United States has pushed Israel not to attack Iran’s energy infrastructure, for fear of igniting a broader conflict, a request to which Israel appears to have responded, according to initial reports.
A senior US administration official said after the strikes: “This must be the end of this direct exchange of fire between Israel and Iran.”
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