Israel launches retaliatory attack against Iran
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Israel began its attack against Iran in retaliation for its massive ballistic missile attack on Oct. 1.
The big picture: U.S. and Israeli officials believe Iran will respond militarily, but hope it will be limited and allow the two adversaries to break the tit-for-tat cycle.
- The Biden administration is concerned that a significant Iranian response could lead to an all-out war between Israel and Iran.
Driving the news: Iranian state TV reported explosions early Saturday morning local time in several areas of the country, including Tehran.
- "In response to months of continuous attacks ... the Israel Defense Forces is conducting precise strikes on military targets in Iran," the IDF said in a statement.
- "Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since October 7th – on seven fronts – including direct attacks from Iranian soil," the statement continued.
Zoom in: IDF officials said in a briefing with reporters that dozens of fighter jets participated in the attack on Iran and all returned to their bases safely.
- The officials said dozen of targets were attacked in several waves and in several areas in Iran.
- The operation was code named "Days of Repentance." It was the first time Israel claimed responsibility for an attack on Iran.
- "The targets that were attacked expanded the IDF's freedom operation over Iran's skies, and damaged Iran's military infrastructure, including the air defense systems and ballistic missiles capabilities," an IDF official said.
- Iran said it defeated the Israeli attack and that only "limited damage" was done to military targets around the country.
The Israeli security cabinet approved the strike in Iran in a secure conference call on Friday night, an Israeli official said.
- U.S. officials said the Biden administration was notified hours in advance that the Israeli airstrike was going to take place on Friday night.
Zoom out: The U.S. military boosted its forces in the region in the last few weeks ahead of Israel's possible attack on Iran.
- U.S. officials said the goal was to deter Iran from responding and help Israel defend itself from another Iranian missile barrage.
- President Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin decided to deploy a THAAD missile defense system in Israel with a crew of U.S. military operators.
- That means U.S. soldiers could actively engage in the fighting between Israel and Iran on Israeli soil.
- On Friday, several hours before the Israeli strike, CENTCOM announced that U.S. Air Force F-16s from the 480th Fighter Squadron based at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany had arrived in U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility.
Between the lines: Earlier this week, the FBI opened an investigation into the leak of top secret U.S. intelligence documents regarding Israel's preparation for an attack against Iran.
- The leak was one of the most serious security breaches within the U.S. intelligence community in years.
- It exposed sensitive U.S. spying on one of its closest allies, and potentially risked disrupting the Israeli attack.
