Israel pre-dawn airstrikes on military targets in Iran In retaliation for the barrage of ballistic missiles the Islamic republic fired into Israel earlier this month, it received mixed reactions both at home and abroad.
Explosions were heard in the Iranian capital Tehran, although Iran insisted the attacks caused only “limited damage” and Iranian state media played down the attacks. Iran’s military said two of its troops were killed in the attack, Iran’s Al-Alam television channel reported.
The attacks threaten to bring the archenemies closer to all-out war at a time of… the increasing violence in the Middle Eastwhere militant groups backed by Iran – including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon – are already at war with Israel.
The United States, which had advance warning of the attacks, urged further retaliation, while Britain and Germany said Iran should not respond.
“As the Israelis have stated, their response was an exercise in self-defense and they avoided specifically populated areas and focused exclusively on military targets, unlike the Iranian attack on Israel which targeted Israel’s most populous city,” said Sean Savett, a White House spokesman. House National Security Council said in a statement, adding: “Our goal is to accelerate diplomacy and de-escalate tensions in the Middle East. We urge Iran to cease its attacks on Israel so that this cycle of fighting can end without further escalation.”
President Biden told reporters on Saturday that Israel had given him a warning ahead of the strikes, saying it appeared “they only hit military targets.” Mr. Biden said he had just completed a call with intelligence officials.
“I hope this is the end,” he said.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said at the Commonwealth Summit in Samoa that Iran should not respond to Israeli airstrikes and urged all parties to show restraint.
“This is an ongoing situation and we are of course monitoring it closely with our partners,” Starmer said. “We must avoid further regional escalation and urge all parties to show restraint. Iran must not respond. We will continue to work with allies to de-escalate the situation across the region.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary General said: “All acts of escalation are reprehensible and must stop.”
At home, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized the decision to avoid “strategic and economic goals,” saying on X that “we could and should have demanded a much higher price from Iran.”
Saudi Arabia was among several countries in the region to condemn the strike, calling it a violation of Iranian sovereignty and a violation of international laws and norms. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected the escalation in the region.
In a statement on Facebook, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said it “condemns all actions that threaten the security and stability of the region…”
It said a ceasefire in Gaza “is the only means to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East.”
Meanwhile, Turkey accused Israel of “bringing our region to the brink of a bigger war” after its attacks on Iran.
“Ending the terror that Israel has created in the region has become a historic imperative when it comes to establishing international security and peace,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
It called on the international community to “take immediate action to enforce the law and stop the Netanyahu government.”
After the airstrikes, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said it has the right to self-defense and that it considers itself “the right and duty to defend itself against foreign acts of aggression.”
After the strikes, the streets in the Iranian capital were calm, children went to school and shops opened as usual. The only sign of concern was the long lines at gas stations – a common occurrence in Tehran when military violence flares as people stock up on fuel.
Israel and Iran have been bitter enemies since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Israel views Iran as its biggest threat, citing its leaders’ calls for Israel’s destruction, their support for anti-Israel militant groups and the country’s nuclear program.
During their years-long shadow war, a suspected Israeli assassination campaign has killed top Iranian scientists, and Iranian nuclear facilities have been hacked or sabotaged.
