Updates: Israel Strikes Iran in Retaliatory Attack
Iran’s national air defense force said that Israel had attacked military bases in three provinces, including Tehran, causing “limited damage.”
Published Oct. 25, 2024
Updated Oct. 26, 2024, 5:09 a.m. ET
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Patrick KingsleyFarnaz Fassihi and Ronen Bergman
Here are the latest developments.
The Israeli military said Saturday that it had struck Iran in response to several Iranian attacks on Israel, raising fears that a long-brewing confrontation between two of the most powerful militaries in the Middle East could escalate into an all-out war.
The military said in a statement at 2:30 a.m. that it was “conducting precise strikes on military targets in Iran” in response to more than a year of attacks on Israel by Iran and its allies across the Middle East. Just after 6 a.m., the military said the strikes had concluded.
Iranian officials appeared to downplay the impact. Iran’s national air defense force said that Israel had attacked military bases in three provinces — Tehran and two near the Iraqi border, Ilam and Khuzestan. Iranian air defenses were able limit the damage, the statement said, but it was continuing to assess.
Three news agencies run by different branches of the Iranian authorities said that the city of Tehran itself had not been hit and that civilian airports were operating normally. The blasts were close enough to the Iranian capital for them to be seen and heard by residents, bringing close to home a war that had felt remote for many.
On Saturday, Israeli officials said that more than 100 combat aircraft, including fighter jets and unmanned drones, hit roughly 20 sites in Iran, Syria and Iraq. The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the military operation, said that Israel targeted air defense systems and long-range missile production sites in Iran.
The Israeli strikes came 25 days after Iran fired waves of ballistic missiles at Israel in response to the assassinations of several officials of Iran and its allies. While Israeli air defenses intercepted many of the Iranian missiles, the attack forced millions of Israelis to take cover in bomb shelters, damaged several homes and air bases and killed a Palestinian in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
For years, Israel and Iran have fought a clandestine war in which both sides targeted each other’s interests and allies, while rarely taking responsibility for their attacks. That turned into open confrontation, as the war between Israel and Hamas, Iran’s ally in Gaza, pulled the two countries toward a direct clash.
After the Hamas-led attack in Israel a year ago unleashed Israel’s devastating war in Gaza, Iran’s other proxies in Middle East, including Hezbollah, began striking Israel in solidarity with their Palestinian ally. Israel, in turn, scaled up its attacks on Iranian interests around the region, with both sides responding in force as tensions flared at various moments.
Here’s what else to know:
Rising tensions: The conflict between the two nations spilled into the open in April after an Israeli strike killed several senior Iranian commander in Syria; later that month, Iran fired a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel, prompting Israel to attack an Iranian military base. Tensions mounted again this summer when Israel killed Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’s political wing, during a visit to Iran. Israel also assassinated several leaders of Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militia that had been attacking Israel across its northern border.
United States informed: The Pentagon said that Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Yoav Gallant, Israel’s defense minister, to receive updates on the strikes in Iran. Sean Savett, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said after the attack began that the United States had been informed of Israel’s plans.
Warning from Israel: The Israeli military warned Iran against further escalation, saying in a statement that it would be “obligated to respond.” Daniel Hagari, a military spokesman, said in a news conference that there were no immediate changes to the government’s civil defense orders to the public, indicating that authorities were not anticipating an attack.
Strikes in Gaza: Israel’s retaliation against Iran followed a series of strikes in Gaza on Friday that left dozens dead, according to officials from the Gaza health ministry and the World Health Organization. Residents said Israeli forces attacked without warning.
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Rawan Sheikh Ahmad
Oct. 26, 2024, 3:05 a.m. ET2 hours ago
Rawan Sheikh Ahmad
Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization said flights resumed at 9 a.m. on Saturday, after they were suspended because of the Israeli strikes, according to IRNA, Iran's state news agency.
Peter Baker
Oct. 26, 2024, 12:41 a.m. ET5 hours ago
Peter Baker
The White House expressed support for Israel’s operation, calling it targeted and proportionate, while expressing the belief that it should be the end of the direct military exchange between Israel and Iran. An official who briefed reporters said the United States would again come to Israel’s defense if Iran chooses to retaliate.
Peter Baker
Oct. 26, 2024, 12:42 a.m. ET5 hours ago
Peter Baker
The administration official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity according to the ground rules of the call, said the Israeli attack was extensive but precise. The strikes aimed to effectively deter future Iranian attacks, the official said.
What Was Hit in the Airstrikes
Israel struck air defense systems in Syria and Iraq to prevent those countries from intercepting the attacks.
TEHRAN
SYRIA
IRAQ
IRAN
ILAM
Israel struck military sites in three provinces, including Tehran. Earlier this month, Iran fired about 200 missiles at Israel.
ISRAEL
KHUZESTAN
Red
Sea
SAUDI
ARABIA
Persian
Gulf
300 miles
Gulf of Oman
By Pablo Robles
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Aaron Boxerman
Oct. 25, 2024, 11:58 p.m. ET5 hours ago
Aaron BoxermanReporting from Jerusalem
There were no immediate changes to the Israeli government’s civil defense orders to the public, Daniel Hagari, the military spokesman, said in a news conference. The Israeli authorities often revise these instructions, leading to restrictions on gatherings and movement, when they have information indicating a potential attack.
Victoria Kim
Oct. 25, 2024, 11:45 p.m. ET6 hours ago
Victoria Kim
The Israeli military, in its statement announcing the end of the strikes, warned Iran against further escalation, saying Israel would be “obligated to respond.”
Farnaz Fassihi
Oct. 25, 2024, 11:38 p.m. ET6 hours ago
Farnaz Fassihi
Israel attacked military bases in the Iranian provinces of Tehran, Ilam and Khuzestan, causing “limited damage,” Iran’s national air defense force said in a statement. It added that Iranian air defenses were able to reduce damage but that further assessments were underway.
Eric Schmitt
Oct. 25, 2024, 11:34 p.m. ET6 hours ago
Eric Schmitt
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Yoav Gallant, the defense minister of Israel, to receive updates on the strikes in Iran, the Pentagon said. Mr. Austin reaffirmed “the ironclad commitment of the United States to Israel’s security and right to self-defense,” according to the Pentagon's summary of the call.
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Aaron Boxerman
Oct. 25, 2024, 11:18 p.m. ETOct. 25, 2024
Aaron BoxermanReporting from Jerusalem
The Israeli military announced that it had completed “retaliatory strikes against military targets in Iran.” Israeli aircraft targeted missile-manufacturing facilities, surface-to-air missile arrays and other military sites, the Israeli military said.
Eric Schmitt
Oct. 25, 2024, 11:07 p.m. ETOct. 25, 2024
Eric Schmitt
Vice President Kamala Harris has been briefed on the Israeli strikes in Iran, according to a White House official. “She is closely following developments and will continue to be updated,” the official said.
Farnaz Fassihi
Oct. 25, 2024, 11:04 p.m. ETOct. 25, 2024
Farnaz Fassihi
Israel’s attack on Saturday was the first time that a foreign air force had struck Iran since its war with Iraq in the 1980s. During that eight-year conflict, the fighting was mostly concentrated along Iran’s border with Iraq; the area around the capital, Tehran, was largely not a target.
Patrick Kingsley
Oct. 25, 2024, 10:42 p.m. ETOct. 25, 2024
Patrick KingsleyReporting from Jerusalem
Two Israeli officials said the attack had ended by about 5 a.m. after hitting roughly 20 sites over the course of the night. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details of an ongoing military operation.
