Revenge between two countries / What we know about Israel's attack on Iran

2024-10-26 21:20:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Israel has launched what it described as "precise and targeted" airstrikes against Iran in retaliation for Tehran's barrage of missile attacks against Israel earlier this month.

It is the latest attack in a series of exchanges between Israel and Iran that have fueled fears of an all-out regional war for months.

But while Iran says attacks on military facilities killed two soldiers, early indications are that the strikes were more limited than previously thought.

How did the attacks take place?

Shortly after 02:00 local time, Iranian media reported explosions in and around the capital, Tehran. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed it was carrying out "accurate" strikes on "military targets" in Iran.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant watched the operation from the IDF command and control center in Tel Aviv.

The White House described the attacks as a "self-defense exercise." A senior administration official said the US had been working with Israel to encourage a "targeted and proportionate" response.

Revenge between two countries / What we know about Israel's attack on Iran

What was the rate of attacks?

The extent of the attacks - and the damage caused - remains unclear at this stage.

The IDF said targets including rocket production facilities, surface-to-air missiles and other military facilities had been hit. The Iranian military confirmed that two soldiers had died "while fighting with shells".

Iranian authorities said facilities in Tehran, Khuzestan and Ilam provinces were targeted. The country's air defense said it had "successfully intercepted" the attacks, but that "some areas suffered limited damage".

A senior US administration official said the strikes did not include Iran's oil infrastructure or nuclear facilities, targets that President Joe Biden had urged Israel not to hit.

Syrian state media also reported attacks on military facilities in central and southern Syria, although Israel has not confirmed the attack on the country.

Why did Israel attack Iran?

Iran is the main backer of a number of groups across the Middle East - often described as proxy groups - that are hostile to Israel, including Hamas and Hezbollah, with whom Israel is currently at war.

In April, Iran launched its first direct attack on Israel, with about 300 missiles and drones, in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike on an Iranian embassy compound in Syria that killed several senior commanders from Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps. (IRGC).

Revenge between two countries / What we know about Israel's attack on Iran

Israel responded with a "limited" attack on a missile defense system in the Iranian region of Isfahan.

Then, in July, Israel killed a senior Hezbollah commander in an airstrike in Beirut. The following day, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an explosion in Tehran. Iran blamed Israel, although Israel did not comment.

In late September, Israel killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut and General Abbas Nilforoushan, a senior Iranian official.

On October 1, Iran fired 200 ballistic missiles at Israel, which it said was in response to the deaths of Haniyeh and Nasrallah.

What happens next?

Early signs indicate that this attack was not as serious as some had feared.

US newspaper Axios reported that before the attacks, Israel sent a message to Iran revealing certain details about the attack and warning Tehran not to respond.

This may be a sign that Israel does not want to escalate the situation further - at least for now.

A senior US official said that "this should be the end of this direct exchange of fire between Israel and Iran"./ CNA