Will respond if Iran initiates new escalation, says Israel

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Saturday, 26 October, the successful completion of "precise and targeted strikes" against multiple military targets in Iran that posed an immediate threat to Israel.

These strikes, conducted in three waves in collaboration with the Israeli Air Force (IAF), took place early Saturday in response to a ballistic missile attack on 1 October, according to the IDF.

"The IDF has fulfilled its mission. Should the Iranian regime make the mistake of initiating a new escalation, we will respond," the IDF stated, adding that IAF planes had safely returned from the operation.

In a stern message, the IDF said, "Those who threaten Israel and attempt to escalate tensions in the region will face severe consequences. Today's actions showcase our ability and commitment to decisively defend the State of Israel and its citizens both offensively and defensively."

Downplaying the impact of Israeli airstrikes that targeted its territory early Saturday, Iran accused the IDF of exaggerating claims about the scale of the attack.

Citing a source, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency dismissed reports suggesting that hundreds of Israeli aircraft were involved in the attack, labelling it as an attempt by Israel to exaggerate its actions.

The report further claimed that Israeli fighter jets did not enter Iranian airspace during the strikes and that the attacks inflicted only a "limited damage."

"The reports alleging that 100 Israeli military planes have had a role in the strike are also complete lies, as Israel is seeking to overplay its weak attack," the agency quoted its source as saying.

The IDF reported that, based on intelligence, the IAF targeted missile manufacturing sites in Iran used to produce the missiles fired at Israel over the past year.

These missiles posed a "direct and immediate threat" to Israeli citizens, the IDF added. Additionally, the operation struck Iranian surface-to-air missile arrays and other aerial capabilities that aimed to limit Israel's operational freedom in Iranian airspace.

Iran has launched hundreds of missiles toward Israel during two attacks in April and October. The IDF accused Iran of "funding and directing terrorist activities" through proxies across the Middle East to target Israel and destabilise the region.

The IDF confirmed the use of advanced offensive operational capabilities during the strikes on Iranian strategic assets and reiterated Israel's "right to defend its citizens" if Iranian aggression continues.

Explosions were reportedly heard in Iranian capital Tehran, with Iranian state media attributing some of the sounds to air defence systems. Meanwhile, Syrian state media reported the targeting of "hostile targets" by Syrian air defences.

Separately, Israeli ground forces have initiated an incursion into Lebanon. The strike coincided with the return of US secretary of state Antony Blinken from a Middle East tour, where he had urged Israeli officials to avoid escalating the conflict and to exclude nuclear facilities in any Iranian operation.

White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett acknowledged Israel's targeted strikes on Iranian military targets, referring further inquiries to the Israeli government.

A spokesperson for the Tehran Oil Refinery also refuted reports that the facility had been targeted by Israeli forces, affirming that the refinery is "operating normally," reported IRNA news agency.

Following the incident, Iran's air defence force released a statement condemning the strikes, accusing Israel of attempting to escalate tensions in the region.

The statement referred to Israel as a "criminal, illegitimate, and fake regime" and claimed that Iranian air defences "successfully confronted" the assault on military sites in Tehran, Khuzestan, and Ilam provinces.