“Long-awaited Israeli counterattack on Iran has apparently begun”announcement The world. “Israel is bombing Iran”title on its side The Country. At 2:30 a.m. Saturday, Israeli military authorities said they were carrying out “precise strikes on military targets in Iran”. A reaction to the sending of nearly 200 missiles by Tehran on October 1. “The government of Benjamin Netanyahu first promised to avenge the attack […] and indicated that he would do so when and in the manner he deemed appropriate, playing with the surprise factor”reminds The Country.
Several explosions were heard in Tehran. A resident told CNN to have been “awakened by the distant sound of detonations” and went to the window to look for signs of impact on the horizon, without seeing anything. The detonations are believed to be linked to air defense and the damage is limited, local media explained. “The situation in the capital is normal”assured the agency Tasnim News, including at the city's two main airports. However, all flights in the country have been suspended. A second wave of strikes was announced shortly after 4 a.m. local time. Mr. Netanyahu followed the operations from a bunker alongside his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, reports Times of Israel.
A one-night stand?
According to NBC News, Israel's targets were military sites, not nuclear or oil sites, as the United States demanded for fear of an energy price crisis. A spokesperson for the National Security Council also said that Washington had been informed of the Israeli attack, which he described as “an act of self-defense”. The United States claims not to have participated in the offensive. Antony Blinken, their Secretary of State, had just visited the region.
This act “raises fears that a long-in-the-making confrontation between two of the Middle East’s most powerful militaries could turn into all-out war”alert him New York Times. After the attacks of October 7, Saturday's offensive seems “push the Middle East into a new, more dangerous phase of conflict on multiple fronts”confirms USA Today, which notes that a war between the two enemies “threat for decades”. Same analysis in the Los Angeles Times face “to this rare direct confrontation between the most heavily armed countries” of the region.
One source states in all ABC News that this Israeli response will only be a matter of one night but an army statement warns that Iran will pay “a high price” in the event of a new attack. “The ball is now in Tehran’s court. If Iran is not deterred, an escalation of the conflict could occur”observe the Jerusalem Post. “These retaliations are important. They send a message to Iran that any attack will be responded to, that forcing Israelis to take shelter because of ballistic missiles will be responded to. Israel makes it clear to Iran that the country cannot act with impunity,” add Israeli media.
