During the night of October 25 and early morning of October 26, Israel carried out an attack against military targets in Iran, especially in the vicinity of Tehran, its capital. This widely anticipated offensive is in response to the major missile attack launched by Iran against Israeli targets on October 1.
Reported footage of air defence activity in the Tehran area. Locals reporting hearing multiple explosions.
[No match on footage. Seems to be new]https://t.co/r7ZXjlxTq4 pic.twitter.com/iW8EHQbcEE — Faytuks News (@Faytuks) October 26, 2024
This was confirmed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman through a publication on the social network X (formerly Twitter):
“I can now confirm that we have concluded the Israeli response to Iran’s attacks against Israel. We have carried out targeted and precise strikes against military targets in Iran, thwarting immediate threats against the State of Israel.”
“I can now confirm that we have concluded the Israeli response to Iran’s attacks against Israel. We conducted targeted and precise strikes on military targets in Iran — thwarting immediate threats to the State of Israel.”
Watch IDF Spokesperson RAdm. Daniel Hagari talk about the… pic.twitter.com/1OOss3etpV — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 26, 2024
The Israeli airstrike reportedly involved more than a dozen F-35I Adir stealth fighters , which acted as a spearhead against Iran’s S-300 and S-300PMU2 air defense systems protecting Tehran and its surroundings. A second and third bombing wave involved fourth-generation F-15 and F-16 fighters, supported by KC-707 tankers and electronic intelligence and early warning (AEW&C) aircraft. According to Israeli sources, approximately 100 aircraft participated in what could be the longest-range air strike ever conducted by the Israeli Air Force (IAF).
תיעוד יציאת מטוסי חיל-האוויר לתקיפה הממוקדת באיראן הלילה, במסגרת מבצע «ימי תשובה»: pic.twitter.com/5Vpb98Pr3u
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 26, 2024
According to various media reports, Israeli aviation and forces attacked about twenty targets, including the aforementioned air defense systems, warehouses and factories related to the production of ballistic missiles and drones, ancillary facilities of the Iranian nuclear complex, among others.
Pressure from Washington seems to have influenced the magnitude of the Israeli response, which, while sending a strong message by reaching the Iranian capital, avoided causing significant damage to the oil infrastructure or to critical facilities of the Iranian nuclear program, which could have had a very severe social and environmental impact.
Satellite images provided to me by a source reveal that the Parchin military base, east of Tehran, was targeted overnight by the IAF. The image on the left depicts the site prior to the strike, while the post-strike image on the right indicates two areas affected by an attack. pic.twitter.com/Um2WbPh0Y6
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) October 26, 2024
Iran’s official news agency reported the death of four military personnel, which would prove the restraint in last night’s air offensive. For its part, the Iranian government has promised to give a ‘proportional response ‘ to Israel’s aggression.
VP: Iran to give proportionate response to Israeli aggressionhttps://t.co/wThrTgCd3y pic.twitter.com/VFs9sRUD0d
— IRNA News Agency (@IrnaEnglish) October 26, 2024
The limited nature of Israel’s airstrike, coupled with official statements by governments in the region and the current rhetoric of the Iranian regime, suggest that both sides are seeking to de-escalate the conflict. Let us hope so.
