In response to an Iranian missile attack, the Israeli military executed “targeted strikes on military sites” in Iran early Saturday. This escalation marks a potentially more perilous phase of conflict in the Middle East, occurring a year after the attacks by Hamas on October 7 against Israel.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated, “The Iranian regime and its affiliates have been aggressively assaulting Israel since October 7th across seven fronts, including direct strikes from Iranian territory. Like any sovereign nation, Israel has the right and obligation to defend itself.”

Moreover, Israel asserted that its “defensive and offensive capabilities are fully coordinated.”

“We will take all necessary measures to protect the State of Israel and its citizens,” the military declared in an official statement.

A senior official in Washington reported that while the U.S. was informed of the Israeli military actions beforehand, it did not participate in the strikes.

“We are aware that Israel is conducting targeted strikes against military sites in Iran in self-defense, following Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Israel on October 1,” stated Sean Savett, spokesman for the National Security Council.

For additional inquiries, he directed questions to the Israeli government.

The White House mentioned that President Joe Biden has been briefed by his national security advisors regarding Israel’s military actions and is closely monitoring the situation.

The extent of Israel’s strikes is not entirely known. Iranian state television reported multiple significant explosions heard around Tehran, while semi-official channels noted similar sounds in the nearby city of Karaj.

The Tasnim news agency claimed that “no reports have emerged regarding the sounds of rockets or planes in the skies over Tehran so far.”

Reports from state television cited anonymous Iranian intelligence officials suggesting that the loud explosions might have been related to the activation of Iran’s air defense systems.

The Israeli airstrikes reportedly also targeted military locations in Syria’s central and southern regions, as reported by the Syrian state agency SANA.

According to SANA, Syrian air defense managed to intercept missiles launched by Israel “from the direction of Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights and Lebanese territories,” managing to shoot down some.

Earlier, SANA reported explosions near Damascus, Syria’s capital.

These operations come in the wake of Iran launching approximately 180 missiles at Israel on October 1, which it framed as retaliation for Israel’s actions against key Hezbollah figures, including Hassan Nasrallah. Most missiles were intercepted, supported by U.S. military assistance. A Palestinian in the West Bank was also reported dead.

Despite decades of threats of full-scale war between Israel and Iran, tensions have escalated, particularly after Hamas attacked southern Israel a year ago, resulting in 1,200 fatalities and 251 kidnappings. In retaliation, Israel waged a war in Gaza, leading to extensive Palestinian casualties, destruction in Gaza, and an increase in attacks on Israel from Iran-supported groups.

These Iran-backed entities, often termed Iran’s “axis of resistance,” encompass Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, Houthis in Yemen, and various militias in Iraq. Common goals include opposing Israel and expelling Western forces, especially U.S. troops, from the region.

In April, Iran launched over 300 missiles and drones at Israel, most of which were intercepted in coordination with U.S. and allied forces. This summer saw the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh via an explosive device concealed in a government guesthouse in Tehran, with Israel suspected to be responsible.

Recently, Yahya Sinwar, the elusive Hamas leader believed to have orchestrated last year’s brutal assault on Israel, was killed in a recent Israeli operation in Gaza. His body was discovered in collapsed rubble, with DNA testing verifying his identity.

Israel has recently initiated what it described as a “limited” ground operation in Lebanon aimed at dismantling Hezbollah’s munitions and infrastructure. With its strikes on Iran, Israel is now effectively engaged in a war on multiple fronts against both state and non-state actors across four nations: Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq.

Biden has ordered increased U.S. military support for Israel, a decision that some national security analysts warn might involve the U.S. deeper into the Middle Eastern conflict.

Rosemary Kelanic, director for Middle East policy at the Defense Priorities think tank, noted that increasing U.S. troop presence in the region has “only fueled Israel’s assertiveness and heightened the risk of a war with Iran, which holds no benefits for the United States.”

Kelanic emphasized, “If the last two decades have taught us anything, it’s that conflict in the Middle East is like quicksand. The more you struggle, the deeper you sink.”

As the U.S. becomes more involved in the conflict, we find ourselves increasingly entrapped.