Several explosions were heard in Tehran, according to local media
West Jerusalem has launched its retaliatory strike against Tehran, the Israel Defense Forces has confirmed.
On October 1, Iran fired nearly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel in response to the killings of the Hamas and Hezbollah leaders and an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) general. While the IDF has insisted that the majority of the projectiles were intercepted, Tehran claimed to have hit several Israeli military targets.
Israel has since threatened to deliver a “deadly, pinpoint accurate, and surprising” retaliation, without specifying any time frame.
Tehran has warned Israel against conducting any strikes, vowing a “decisive and regretful” response, should it do so.
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26 October 2024
03:15 GMT
The Israeli military is currently conducting “situational assessments” and is prepared for further “defensive and offensive action,” the IDF said.
“The State of Israel reserves the right to defend its citizens if the Iranian regime continues attacks against the State of Israel and its civilians,” the statement said.
“The IDF has a range of offensive operational capabilities, some of which were deployed today during the strikes on strategic assets deep within Iranian territory.”
- 03:06 GMT
The IDF says it has “completed precise and targeted strikes against military targets in a number of areas in Iran,” adding that the Israeli planes have now “safely returned home.”
“Based on intelligence, IAF aircraft struck missile manufacturing facilities used to produce the missiles that Iran fired at the State of Israel over the last year. These missiles posed a direct and immediate threat to the citizens of the State of Israel. Simultaneously, the IDF struck surface-to-air missile arrays and additional Iranian aerial capabilities that were intended to restrict Israel’s aerial freedom of operation in Iran,” the IDF wrote in a statement.
Tehran has not officially confirmed any damage to its military infrastructure, with local media so far claiming that the country’s air defenses successfully intercepted most of the incoming missiles.
- 02:54 GMT
The Israeli attack ended around 5am local time, two Israeli officials told the New York Times. In total, the IDF allegedly struck “roughly 20 sites” in multiple waves, although Tehran has yet to confirm the scale of the attack and its impact.
- 02:48 GMT
Israel’s “target list contains military assets, particularly missile manufacturing facilities and aerial defense sites,” the Washington Post reports, citing a person briefed on Israel’s military planning.
- 02:45 GMT
There have been three waves of strikes against Iran so far, according to US and Israeli officials cited by Axios reporter Barak Ravid. The first round allegedly targeted Iranian air defenses, while the follow-up strikes were “focused on missile and drone bases and production sites.”
- 02:38 GMT
The Israeli raid is expected to last “several more hours,” a source familiar with the matter told CNN. The first strikes hit Iran early Saturday morning local time, with the second wave reported several hours later.
- 02:34 GMT
There have been no attacks on military centers belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Tehran “so far,” Tasnim reports citing informed sources.
- 02:18 GMT
Iran reserves the right to respond to the Israeli attack, and there is no question it would react “proportionally,” Tasnim news agency reports citing a “well-informed source.” Iranian authorities have yet to confirm any damage following the IDF air raid.
- 02:11 GMT
Iraq’s Ministry of Transport has announced the suspension of air traffic at all of the country’s airports “until further notice,” Al Jazeera reports. Iranian and Israeli authorities have also closed their respective airspaces
- 01:57 GMT
Israel apparently targeted “several military bases in the west and southwest of Tehran,” but there was no official confirmation of any casualties or damage, according to Fars News Agency.
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