In the early hours of Thursday, Israel launched what it described as “precise and targeted” airstrikes on military sites in Iran, marking a major escalation in an ongoing and complex series of exchanges between the two nations. The strikes, reportedly focused on key military facilities across multiple provinces in Iran, were conducted in retaliation for a significant barrage of missiles launched by Tehran against Israel earlier this month.
While the early stages of Thursday’s attack initially stirred fears of wider damage, preliminary reports suggest the scope was contained, with Israeli strikes primarily hitting military installations rather than broader infrastructure. The White House has supported Israel’s decision, characterizing the operation as a measured act of “self-defense.”
The first reports of explosions around Tehran came shortly after 2:00 a.m. local time (11:30 p.m. BST). Residents in Tehran and the surrounding areas took to social media, sharing footage and eyewitness reports of loud blasts and lights streaking across the night sky. By approximately 2:30 a.m., Israel’s military command confirmed it had launched precision strikes targeting military assets within Iranian territory, specifying that “military targets” were the primary focus.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, alongside Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, supervised the operation from the Israeli Defense Force’s (IDF) command center in Tel Aviv. Their presence underscored the significance of this response and signaled Israel’s continued focus on containing Iran’s military capabilities. The operation reportedly concluded by 6:00 a.m., with the IDF declaring it had hit multiple strategic sites, including missile manufacturing facilities, anti-aircraft missile systems, and additional military compounds.
The White House issued a prompt response, calling the airstrikes an “exercise of self-defense.” A senior U.S. official stated that the Biden administration had worked closely with Israel to ensure the attacks were “targeted and proportional,” aiming to prevent further escalation. “This should be the end of this direct exchange of fire between Israel and Iran,” the official added, while emphasizing that no Iranian oil or nuclear facilities had been targeted, as the White House had reportedly urged Israel to avoid such sites.
Analysts suggest that U.S. influence helped steer the operation towards a restrained approach, as Israel’s regional allies, along with the United Nations, have repeatedly voiced concerns about the potential for broader destabilization in the Middle East.
Following the attacks, Iranian military officials reported the deaths of two soldiers, referring to them as martyrs who died while defending Iran’s airspace. Iranian authorities have accused Israel of attacking several locations across the country, with Tehran, Khuzestan, and Ilam provinces specifically mentioned as areas where strikes caused “limited damage” according to official statements. The Iranian air defense claimed to have intercepted a number of incoming projectiles, though admitted that some military sites sustained damage.
In a statement released through the semi-official Tasnim News Agency, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) asserted that it “reserves the right to respond to any aggression” and warned of an impending “proportionate response” against Israel. So far, however, Iran’s retaliatory actions have been limited to public condemnations, and there is no evidence of an immediate escalation.
Thursday’s airstrikes represent the latest in an intensifying series of exchanges between Israel and Iran, each side accusing the other of escalating hostilities in the region. Relations took a sharp turn earlier this year when Iran, in a rare direct attack, launched nearly 300 missiles and drones toward Israel in April. Iran characterized this action as retaliation for an Israeli airstrike on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Syria, which had reportedly killed several high-ranking IRGC officers.
Since then, the two countries have continued a cycle of retaliatory strikes. In July, Israel conducted an airstrike in Beirut, killing a Hezbollah commander, while Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh died in an explosion in Tehran shortly after. Though Israel did not officially comment on either incident, Iran publicly accused the Israeli government of involvement.
In late September, another wave of violence erupted after Israel assassinated Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, and Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan, an IRGC commander in Beirut. Iran retaliated with 200 ballistic missiles fired into Israel on October 1, which it described as a response to the deaths of prominent allies Nasrallah and Haniyeh.
While Thursday’s strikes were initially feared to be the beginning of a larger conflict, the restrained targeting suggests that Israel may be attempting to avoid a prolonged escalation. According to a report from U.S. news outlet Axios, Israel allegedly sent a preemptive message to Iran detailing the extent of its planned strikes and advising Tehran against mounting an aggressive response. Analysts speculate that this gesture could indicate Israel’s desire to focus its military operations within Gaza and Lebanon, where hostilities with Iran-backed groups Hamas and Hezbollah have been ongoing.
The IDF reinforced this position in a statement, claiming that “Iran continues to push for a wider regional escalation,” while asserting that its own military objectives remain fixed on suppressing Iran-backed threats in neighboring territories. By avoiding further escalation within Iran itself, Israel may be signaling a strategic intent to limit the scope of its direct confrontations with Iran.
Complicating the situation, Syrian state media reported airstrikes on military sites within its central and southern regions, though Israel has not claimed responsibility for these additional strikes. Syria’s alliance with Iran and support of Hezbollah have drawn it into previous Israeli-Iranian conflicts, with some observers noting that Israeli operations in Syria are often intended to hinder Iran’s ability to transfer weapons to Hezbollah forces.
As the latest violence unfolds, neighboring countries, including Saudi Arabia and Egypt, have urged both Israel and Iran to exercise caution, emphasizing the need to avoid additional strain on regional stability. The Arab League issued a statement warning that continued escalations could undermine recent diplomatic gains made between Israel and several Arab states.
For the Biden administration, the escalating tension poses significant diplomatic challenges. A senior U.S. official has privately indicated that the White House has taken steps to dissuade Israel from targeting Iran’s critical infrastructure, such as oil fields or nuclear facilities, to prevent a broader economic and environmental crisis in the region. The U.S. State Department has announced that it remains in close contact with Israeli and Iranian representatives, calling on both nations to respect de-escalation commitments.
The recent series of clashes has raised concerns about the future of U.S. influence in the Middle East, with some experts arguing that Washington’s role in containing the Israeli-Iranian conflict may be tested by mounting pressures. Nonetheless, the latest Israeli airstrikes have highlighted the tightrope that the Biden administration is walking between supporting a key ally and deterring a full-scale regional conflict.
Israel’s ongoing conflicts with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon are critical factors influencing its confrontations with Iran. Tehran has supported both groups as part of its regional influence strategy, making Israel increasingly wary of Iran’s capacity to incite proxy forces against it. Iran’s backing of these groups has become a cornerstone of its regional policy, with many viewing the Hamas-Israel and Hezbollah-Israel conflicts as indirect battles between Tehran and Tel Aviv.
