Explosions heard in Tehran as IDF announces Israeli strikes against Iran

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel launched airstrikes aboriginal Saturday connected what it described arsenic subject targets successful Iran successful retaliation for a ballistic rocket battle Oct. 1, officials said. There was nary contiguous accusation connected harm successful the Islamic Republic.

Israel’s subject described the onslaught arsenic “precise strikes connected subject targets successful Iran,” without instantly elaborating.

“The authorities successful Iran and its proxies successful the portion person been relentlessly attacking Israel since Oct. 7 – connected 7 fronts – including nonstop attacks from Iranian soil,” an Israeli subject connection said. “Like each different sovereign state successful the world, the State of Israel has the close and the work to respond.”

In Tehran, the Iranian capital, the dependable of explosions could beryllium heard, with state-run media determination initially acknowledging the blasts and saying immoderate of the sounds came from aerial defence systems astir the city.

A Tehran nonmigratory told The Associated Press that astatine slightest 7 explosions could beryllium heard, which rattled the surrounding area. The nonmigratory spoke connected information of anonymity for fearfulness of reprisals.

Iran has launched 2 ballistic rocket attacks connected Israel successful caller months amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas warfare successful the Gaza Strip that began with the Hamas onslaught connected Israel connected Oct. 7, 2023. Israel besides has launched a crushed penetration of Lebanon.

The onslaught happened conscionable arsenic U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was arriving backmost successful the U.S. aft a circuit of the Middle East wherever helium and different U.S. officials had warned Israel to tender a effect that would not further escalate the struggle successful the portion and exclude atomic sites successful Iran.

White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said successful a connection that “we recognize that Israel is conducting targeted strikes against subject targets successful Iran” and referred reporters to the Israeli authorities for much details connected their operation.

Israel had vowed to deed Iran hard pursuing a monolithic Iranian rocket barrage connected Oct. 1. Iran said its barrage was successful effect to deadly Israeli attacks against its proxy successful Lebanon, Hezbollah, and it has promised to respond to immoderate retaliatory strikes.

Israel and Iran person been bitter foes since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Israel considers Iran to beryllium its top threat, citing its leaders’ calls for Israel’s destruction, their enactment for anti-Israel militant groups and the country’s atomic program.

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Israel and Iran person been locked successful a yearslong shadiness war. A suspected Israeli assassination run has killed apical Iranian atomic scientists. Iranian atomic installations person been hacked oregon sabotaged, each successful mysterious attacks blamed connected Israel. Meanwhile, Iran has been blamed for a bid of attacks connected shipping successful the Middle East successful caller years, which aboriginal grew into the attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels connected shipping done the Red Sea corridor.

But since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, the conflict has progressively moved into the open. Israel has precocious turned its attraction to Hezbollah, which has been firing rockets into Israel since the warfare successful Gaza began. Throughout the year, a fig of apical Iranian subject figures person been killed successful Israeli strikes successful Syria and Lebanon.

Iran fired a question of missiles and drones astatine Israel past April aft 2 Iranian generals were killed successful an evident Israeli airstrike successful Syria connected an Iranian diplomatic post. The missiles and drones caused minimum damage, and Israel — nether unit from Western countries to amusement restraint — responded with a constricted strike.

But aft Iran’s aboriginal October rocket strike, Israel promised a tougher response.

Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat successful Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.