WASHINGTON ― Early Saturday, Israel’s military announced it had finished a series of airstrikes on Iran, following an Iranian missile assault. This action marks an escalation in the region’s conflict, one year after Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7.

“Since October 7th, Iran’s regime and its affiliates have been persistently targeting Israel across seven fronts, including direct strikes from Iranian territory,” stated the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). “As any sovereign nation would, Israel has both the right and obligation to respond.”

According to military intelligence, Israeli aircraft targeted facilities where missiles that threatened Israeli citizens were produced. These missiles have been a constant danger over the past year.

The IDF also aimed at missile defense systems and additional Iranian air capabilities designed to limit Israel’s operations within Iranian airspace.

The military confirmed, “The mission was accomplished.”

The U.S. was informed in advance of the Israeli operations but did not participate in any military actions, reported a senior administration official in Washington.

“Our goal is to foster diplomatic solutions and ease the escalating tensions in the Middle East,” explained Sean Savett, spokesperson for the National Security Council. He emphasized the importance of Iran stopping its attacks on Israel to avoid further conflict.

He directed any further inquiries to the Israeli government.

President Joe Biden was updated by his national security team regarding Israel’s operations and he is closely monitoring the evolving situation. Vice President Kamala Harris has also been kept informed.

Strong explosions reported near Tehran

A senior U.S. official characterized the Israeli strikes as extensive, focused, and executed with precision against military targets throughout Iran.

Iranian state television noted the occurrence of powerful explosions around Tehran, with semi-official media indicating similar reports from Karaj.

The Israeli airstrikes also affected several military locations in central and southern Syria, according to the Syrian state news agency SANA.

SANA reported that Syrian air defense forces intercepted some missiles launched by Israel “from the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights and Lebanese territories.”

Explosions were also reported earlier near Syria’s capital, Damascus, as reported by SANA.

Rising tensions between Israel and Iran

This Israeli operation followed Iran’s launch of approximately 180 missiles at Israel on October 1, labeled by Tehran as retaliation for the killing of key Hezbollah leaders including Hassan Nasrallah. Many of these missiles were intercepted with U.S. military support. A Palestinian was reported dead in the West Bank during this period.

Israel and Iran have long been on the brink of war, but tensions have surged since Hamas attacked southern Israel last year, resulting in over 1,200 deaths and the kidnapping of 251 individuals. In response, Israel initiated a campaign in Gaza that resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian casualties and extensive destruction, which in turn has prompted increased military actions from Iran-supported groups against Israel.

These groups, often referred to as Iran’s “axis of resistance,” include Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen, and various militias based in Iraq, which all share common goals of opposing Israel and seeking to expel Western powers, notably U.S. forces, from the region.

Iran had previously fired a surge of over 300 missiles and drones at Israel in April, most of which were intercepted with assistance from U.S. and allied forces. Following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh through a bomb in Tehran, Israel is believed to have been involved.

Recently, Yahya Sinwar, a key Hamas figure linked to the group’s violent attack on Israel last year, was killed in an Israeli military action in Gaza. DNA tests confirmed his identity after his remains were discovered amidst the rubble.

Israel has also conducted a “limited” ground operation in Lebanon aimed at dismantling Hezbollah’s arms and capabilities. The latest airstrikes on Iran suggest Israel is now engaged in a conflict across multiple fronts against both state and non-state actors in Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq.

In Washington, a senior official mentioned that Israel conveyed that these retaliatory strikes should signal a halt to direct confrontations between the two nations. The U.S. has maintained various communication channels with Iran to communicate its stance clearly.

While the U.S. did not partake in the attacks, it remains prepared to support Israel should Iran retaliate, the official concluded.

The official mentioned that President Biden collaborated with Israeli leaders over recent weeks, urging Israel to carry out a focused and measured response that minimizes civilian casualties, and it seems that was achieved.

Biden has directed the U.S. military to support Israel in its defense, a decision that some national security analysts caution could lead the U.S. into conflict in the Middle East.

Rosemary Kelanic, the Middle East director at Defense Priorities, a think tank advocating for a reduced U.S. military presence globally, noted that recently increasing U.S. troops in the region has “only fueled Israel’s aggressive behavior and increased the likelihood of a war with Iran, which is not beneficial for U.S. interests.”

Kelanic remarked that “if the last two decades of ineffective policies have shown us anything, it’s that the Middle East is akin to quicksand. The more the U.S. engages, the more entangled we become.”

Recently, the Biden administration implemented new sanctions on Iran’s oil sector following Tehran’s assault on Israel. The Treasury Department indicated the sanctions aimed at disrupting “the shadow fleet” of tankers and illegal operators involved in transporting Iranian oil exports in defiance of current sanctions.

The sanctions label 10 entities across various regions and 17 ships as “blocked property,” allowing the federal government to freeze their assets and properties within the U.S.

The State Department also declared it would impose sanctions on six companies and six vessels involved in the Iranian oil trade.