Israel conducted a series of precise military strikes across Iran early this morning (Saturday), marking its first-ever acknowledged direct attack on Iranian territory.
The operation, dubbed "Days of Repentance," targeted key military installations including missile manufacturing sites and air defense systems.
Multiple waves of strikes hit targets around Tehran, Karaj, Isfahan, and Shiraz as Israeli Air Force jets operated freely in Iranian airspace for several hours.
As reported by the Times of Israel, two Iranian officials quoted by The New York Times said that one of the sites that Israel targeted was the S-300 air defense of Imam Khomeini International Airport near Tehran. In addition, Israeli drones targeted the secretive Parchin military base on the outskirts of Tehran.
According to Asaf Rosenzweig, the Parchin base near Tehran is responsible for producing solid fuel rocket engines and is considered a relatively new and advanced facility. According to some reports, this site was also used by Iran as part of its nuclear program
The operation, reaching targets some 1,600 kilometers from Israel, ended with all aircraft returning safely to base.
Officials confirmed that no nuclear facilities or oil infrastructure were targeted, and the United States was notified but not involved in the operation.
The assault began around 2:15 a.m. local time, with initial strikes focusing on disabling Iranian air defense systems. Subsequent waves targeted drone and missile manufacturing facilities.
Dozens of fighter planes, refueling and intelligence planes that flew about 1,500 kilometers participated in the attack.
As reported by Kann News, over the past few weeks, the Air Force has carried out many exercises for a long-range attack when their planes were refueled on the way to the destination. The planes had various types of armaments, with some of them carrying bombs and interception missiles to secure the planes in the air. Many squadrons participated in the attack with a variety of aircraft, including F35s, F16s and F15s.
The IDF later confirmed that "all goals were achieved" in the operation.
The IDF said, "The regime in Iran and its proxies have been relentlessly attacking Israel since October 7th – on seven fronts – including direct attacks from Iranian soil. Like every other sovereign country in the world, the State of Israel has the right and the duty to respond."
Iran acknowledged the attacks but claimed its air defense systems successfully intercepted many incoming strikes, reporting that there was only "limited damage" to their military sites. However, Israeli sources dismissed these claims as "a total failure" with "zero interceptions."
The strikes come in response to Iran's October 1 barrage of 200 ballistic missiles at Israel, a recent drone attack on Prime Minister Netanyahu's residence in Caesarea, and months of ongoing attacks by Iranian-backed forces.
The IDF says it's prepared for potential Iranian retaliation but hasn't issued any new civilian guidelines. IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari warned Iran not to counter strike, saying, "If the regime in Iran were to make the mistake of beginning a new round of escalation — we will be obligated to respond."
The Biden Administration, which had urged Israel to avoid targeting nuclear or oil sites, confirmed it was notified of the strikes beforehand but emphasized it was not involved in the operation. "We understand that Israel is conducting targeted strikes against military targets in Iran as an exercise of self-defense," stated White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett.
