Israel’s Counterattack

Israel has launched a counterattack against Iran this morning, saying the Israeli army is attacking military targets, Iranian media reports of explosions in the capital Tehran and nearby bases.

Reuters reports that tensions have been high in the Middle East recently and all sides have long expected Israel to retaliate against Iran’s ballistic missile attack on the 1st of this month.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement: “In response to the Iranian government’s continued attacks on Israel over the past several months, the Israel Defense Forces are now conducting precision strikes against military targets in Iran.”

Israel says it has the right and obligation to respond to attacks by Tehran and its proxies, including missile strikes from Iranian territory.

Israel added: “We have fully activated our offensive and defensive capabilities.”

Iran’s Response

The scope of the attack was unclear, but Israel’s public broadcaster said dozens of warplanes were striking military targets.

Iranian state media said violent explosions were heard near the capital Tehran and in the neighboring city of Karaj, but initial reports denied the attack and said life was going on as normal.

Tasnim news agency reported that “so far there has been no sound of rockets or aircraft over Tehran.”

State television quoted an Iranian intelligence official on condition of anonymity as saying that the source of the massive explosion “could be due to the activation of Iran’s air defense system.”

International Reaction

A US official told Reuters that Israel had informed the United States before the strikes on targets in Iran, but that the United States was not involved in the operation.

White House National Security Council (NSC) spokesman Sean Savett said: “We understand that Israel acted in self-defense and in response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Israel on October 1 and therefore carried out specific strikes against Iranian military targets.