Israel Launches Strikes Against Iran In Response To Ballistic Missile Attacks

Topline

Israel has begun striking military targets in Iran, the Israel Defense Forces said Friday, fueling concerns of further escalation between the two countries as Israel responds to a large-scale missile attack launched by Iran early this month.

Key Facts

The IDF said in a statement it is conducting “precise strikes” on the military targets, arguing it has the right to respond to Iran’s recent attacks.

The IDF’s announcement coincides with Iran state TV reports of explosions throughout several parts of the country including its capital of Tehran, Axios reported.

Three unnamed U.S. defense officials told NBC News the U.S. was informed of the attack prior to the strikes, noting the U.S. is not involved.

White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement “we understand that Israel is conducting targeted strikes against military targets in Iran.”

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What We Don’t Know

It is not yet clear what sort of casualties or structural damage Israel’s strikes have caused in Iran, though a resident of Tehran told the Associated Press at least seven explosions were heard in the initial strike.

Key Background

Conflict between Israel and Iran has ramped up significantly since a string of radio and pager explosions occurred throughout Lebanon and Syria last month targeting the militant group Hezbollah, killing dozens. U.S. officials believed Israel was behind the attacks. Iran later launched a ballistic missile attack against Israel on Oct. 1, with most of the barrage being intercepted. However, the IDF reported multiple air force bases were damaged in the attack, adding that damage to civilian infrastructure was minimal, according to the BBC. Iran previously attacked Israel in April, in an assault that used drones and was also largely intercepted. Iran launched the earlier attack after it blamed Israel for a strike on its embassy in Syria.

Further Reading

Will Israel Attack Iran’s Nuclear Program? Here’s What To Know As Ex-PM Calls For Strikes (Forbes)