According to a statement from Iran’s mission to the United Nations, Israeli airstrikes were launched against Iranian targets using Iraqi airspace, with the Iranian representatives directly implicating the United States in this operation. They characterized the U.S. as complicit in these aggressive actions.
The Iranian mission declared on X, “Iraqi airspace remains under the occupation, oversight, and control of U.S. military forces. The conclusion is clear: the U.S. bears certain responsibility for this heinous act.”
In the wake of these strikes, Israeli President Isaac Herzog praised the U.S., describing it as a “true ally” in collaborative endeavors. His remarks followed a series of assaults on Iranian installations, where he expressed gratitude for both visible and clandestine support from America.
Herzog specifically mentioned, “I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to our formidable friend, the United States, for their steadfast support, both open and concealed,” elaborating only briefly without going into specific details.
In a counterstatement, Netanyahu’s office responded vehemently to what it termed “completely erroneous” assertions made by local news outlets. These reports claimed that Israel refrained from targeting Iranian energy installations due to alleged pressure from the U.S.
“Israeli officials strategically selected their targets based on national priorities rather than any American directives. This approach is set in stone—it has been and it will continue to be so,” asserted Netanyahu’s office.
Determined to stand firm, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasized Iran’s resolve to protect itself following the Israeli strikes that hit military installations across various Iranian provinces, resulting in the deaths of four Iranian soldiers.
Israel launched attacks this morning on military positions in Iran, claiming these actions were a direct response to a missile assault initiated by Tehran earlier this month. This altercation adds another chapter to the ongoing saga of hostilities between these two heavily armed nations.
Within hours of the strikes, the Israeli military announced completion of its operations, asserting that its objectives had been met while simultaneously issuing a warning to Iran against retaliation.
Iran, for its part, claimed that its air defense systems successfully thwarted significant portions of the assault, although they did acknowledge that, regrettably, four soldiers had lost their lives and that several sites sustained “limited damage.”
In a more defiant tone, a semi-official Iranian news agency proclaimed that a “calibrated response” was forthcoming as retribution for Israel’s actions against Tehran.
Reports emerged from Iranian media detailing numerous explosions throughout several hours in Tehran and in the vicinity of military installations, starting just after 2 a.m. local time.
Mr. Araghchi articulated Iran’s steadfast commitment to self-defense, stating in an interview featured on the official website of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, “We have made it abundantly clear that our resolve to defend our sovereignty knows no bounds.”
These comments marked the first official remarks from a senior Iranian figure following the pre-dawn airstrikes. In the early hours, Israel’s public broadcaster reported that three waves of attacks had been successfully executed and now concluded.
While Iran claimed to have effectively neutralized the Israeli threat targeting military locations in the provinces of Tehran, Khuzestan, and Ilam, they nonetheless reported fatalities and damage at certain sites.
The Middle East remains on high alert, particularly after the provocative missile barrage launched by Iran on October 1, which saw around 200 missiles directed toward Israeli territory, resulting in casualties, including one individual in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Relations between Israel and Iran have deteriorated sharply since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023—a Palestine resistance group armed and supported by Iran. Additionally, Hezbollah, a militant group with Iranian backing based in Lebanon, has further inflamed tensions.
Concerns have escalated that both Iran and the U.S. could find themselves embroiled in a larger regional conflict stemming from Israel’s persistent military campaigns against Hezbollah and continuing operations in Gaza. These include airstrikes targeting Beirut and ground actions along the Lebanese border.
Israel’s military clarified: “In direct response to ongoing hostile actions from the Iranian regime against the State of Israel, the Israel Defense Forces are executing precise military strikes on critical targets in Iran.”
On the offensive, Israel announced that it had hit missile assembly sites and surface-to-air missile installations, with all aircraft returning safely to base. “Should the Iranian regime err by escalating tensions, we will be obliged to respond decisively,” the military warned.
U.S. officials indicated that energy infrastructures or nuclear facilities were not among the targets hit during the strikes. President Joe Biden had previously cautioned that Washington, Israel’s chief ally and arms supplier, would oppose any Israeli airstrikes aimed at Iranian nuclear sites, urging Israel to explore alternative strategies regarding Iran’s oil facilities.
Iranian officials have consistently reiterated their stance on retaliation for any aggression. “Iran retains the right to respond to any attack, and undoubtedly Israel will encounter a proportional backlash for any actions it undertakes,” the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
A senior official from the Biden administration remarked that Israel’s “measured and targeted actions” should conclude direct exchanges of fire but reassured that the U.S. stands ready to defend Israel if Iran should choose aggression in response.
As the strikes unfolded, videos circulated on Iranian media showing their air defenses tirelessly intercepting incoming missiles in central Tehran, although the reports did not specify which locations faced attack. Tasnim additionally reported that military bases belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps suffered no damages, and flights resumed at 9 a.m. following earlier disruptions during the Israeli airstrike. Neighboring Iraq, too, announced a return to normal flight operations.
Simultaneously, Israeli forces targeted military establishments in the central and southern regions of Syria through early morning airstrikes; however, Israel has not officially acknowledged these operations.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, alongside Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and other security personnel, monitored the campaign closely from a military command and control hub situated in Tel Aviv. Shortly after the strikes commenced, Mr. Gallant connected with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who emphasized the United States’ robust posture to protect its personnel, Israel, and partners across the region, according to Pentagon statements.
The U.S. was notified ahead of the Israeli strikes but was not involved in the operational execution, clarified a U.S. official to Reuters. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, amid ongoing peace negotiations in the Middle East, expressed on Wednesday that Israel’s responses should not escalate into something more serious.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
