Iran warns it will defend itself after Israeli attacks

Israel warned that Iran would “pay a heavy price” if it responded to the attacks, and the US, Germany and Britain demanded that Tehran not further escalate the conflict.

US President Joe Biden stated that he hoped “this will be the last” after Israel’s pre-dawn attacks, adding that “it doesn’t look like they hit anything other than military targets.”

Biden had called on Israel to protect its nuclear and oil facilities in retaliatory strikes, and the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that no nuclear facilities were hit.

The European Union called on all parties to show maximum restraint to avoid an “uncontrollable escalation”.

Other countries, including many of Iran’s neighbors, condemned Israel’s attacks, and some, such as Russia, called on both sides to show restraint and avoid what Moscow called a “catastrophic scenario.”

While Iran insisted it was its “right and duty” to defend itself, its Lebanese ally Hezbollah said it had launched rocket salvoes targeting five residential areas in northern Israel.

The Israeli army said 80 bullets were fired at the border on Saturday.

Hezbollah later issued an evacuation warning for more than a dozen places in Israel, while the Israeli army issued similar warnings for two neighborhoods in the south of Beirut.

Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported early Sunday that Israel carried out a new raid on Beirut’s southern suburbs.

– ‘Limited damage’ –

The Israeli army, which confirmed its own attacks after the explosions and anti-aircraft fire echoing around Tehran, said that it hit Iran’s missile factories and military facilities in many provinces.

A military spokesman said that “the retaliatory strike was completed and the mission accomplished” and that the Israeli planes “returned safely”.

Iran confirmed that Israel targeted military facilities around the capital and other provinces, saying the raids caused “limited damage” but four soldiers died.

Iran’s armed forces general staff said only radar systems were damaged in the attacks and any immediate threat of retaliation was precluded.

The statement said, “Iran prioritizes the establishment of a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, while reserving its legal and legitimate right to respond at the appropriate time.”

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held telephone conversations with his Egyptian, Qatari and Syrian counterparts.

His ministry said Qatari Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, a key mediator in ceasefire efforts in Gaza, had expressed “deep concern about the serious repercussions that this escalation could lead to.”

– Direct attack –

Israel had vowed to retaliate after October 1, when Iran fired around 200 missiles in only the second direct attack on its arch-enemy. Most of these missiles were captured but one person was killed.

Israel’s retaliation was condemned by Iraq, Pakistan, Syria and Saudi Arabia and warned of further escalation. Jordan said Israeli jets did not use its airspace.

Türkiye was one of the most outspoken critics, calling for an end to the “terrorism created by Israel”.

Israel is currently fighting on two fronts.

A war against Hezbollah has been ongoing in Lebanon since last month, including attacks that killed the group’s senior leadership and ground operations to destroy missile sites.

And for more than a year, since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, Israel has been waging a war in the densely populated Palestinian territory of Gaza that has caused mass civilian casualties.

The United Nations has warned that the “darkest moment” of this conflict has emerged, with Palestinians facing a terrible humanitarian crisis and daily Israeli bombardment.

– ‘True ally’ –

A defense official said there was “no involvement of the United States” in the attacks on Iran, but Israeli President Isaac Herzog later praised “our great friend the United States for being a true ally and for its overt and covert cooperation.” He did not elaborate.

US National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said Israel’s response was “an exercise in self-defense.”

He called on Iran to “cease its attacks on Israel so that this cycle of conflict can end before it escalates further.”

The Israeli army accused “Iran and its proxies” in the region of “continuously attacking Israel since October 7”, when Hamas attacked Israel and triggered the Gaza war.

According to official Israeli figures from AFP, this attack resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, most of them civilians.

Dozens of hostages captured that day are still held by militants in Gaza.

Israel’s retaliatory bombardment and ground war in Gaza killed 42,924 people, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-ruled territory’s health ministry figures deemed reliable by the United Nations.

In late September, Israel turned its focus to Lebanon, striking Hezbollah targets and leaders and then sending in ground troops.

Israel says its aim is to make the north of its country safe for the return of tens of thousands of displaced civilians.

At least 1,615 people have been killed in Lebanon since September 23, according to AFP Lebanese health ministry figures.

In April, Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles in its first direct attack on Israeli territory.

Tehran said the dam was in retaliation for the attack on Iran’s consulate building in Damascus, in which Islamic Revolutionary Guard Commanders were killed.

Explosions in late April shook Iran’s Isfahan province; It was Israel’s retaliation, US officials said, as reported by American media.

Iran said the missile attack on Israel on October 1 was in retaliation for Israel’s airstrike that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

On Friday, Gaza’s health ministry accused Israeli forces of raiding the last functioning hospital in the north of the area in a raid that resulted in the deaths of two children.

The Israeli military says it is trying to destroy operational capabilities that Hamas is trying to rebuild in the north.

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