West Asia sees escalating tensions as Israel conducted precise strikes on military targets in Iran, with Iranian state media reporting multiple loud explosions in Tehran.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the strikes were in direct response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack on October 1. After the retaliatory operation, the Israeli military declared it complete and issued a stern warning to Iran, cautioning against further escalation.
In an official statement, the IDF condemned Iran and its regional proxies, citing a series of attacks from Iranian soil and surrounding areas over the past year. In related actions, Syrian state media reported that Israeli air strikes hit military sites in Syria’s central and southern regions. Following the strikes, Iraq suspended all flight operations until further notice, according to local media.
The United States distanced itself from the operation, denying any involvement in Israel’s strikes on Iran.
The attacks come amid the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, which erupted after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 of the previous year. In these recent Israeli strikes, over 100 fighter jets targeted military installations across several Iranian provinces, including Tehran, Ilam, and Khuzestan. Initially focusing on power infrastructure in Tehran and Karaj, the operation later expanded to additional sites, striking around 5:30 AM local time.
This offensive marks the first direct strikes on Tehran since the Iran-Iraq war, signifying a notable shift in the conflict’s dynamics. While Iranian officials acknowledged the attacks, they downplayed the impact, describing only “limited damage” to their installations.
In response, Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization has indefinitely suspended all flights and closed the nation’s airspace, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
Meanwhile, Syrian media also confirmed Israeli strikes on its military facilities. The current conflict has been escalating since the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran on July 31—a move widely attributed to Israel. Tensions reached new heights on September 27 when an Israeli air raid killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian Revolutionary Guard General Abbas Nilforoushan in Lebanon, prompting Iran’s October 1 missile launch of 200 ballistic missiles aimed at Israel.
Israel has since issued a clear warning, stating that any further retaliation from Iran would compel a response, signaling that this volatile situation may intensify further.