War in the Middle East, Israel bombs Iran. The decision to launch the raid now was taken after the latest Iranian positions on the Israeli attacks on Gaza and Lebanon.
At 1 a.m. Italian time on Saturday, the government of Israel gave the green light to attack some Iranian military bases in Tehran, Ilam and Khuzestan. This is the response to the attack by the ayatollahs on October 1, which, among other things, avenged the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Five explosions in the darkness of half past three. The sky turns red in Tehran. It catches fire near Khomeini International Airport , in the eastern neighborhoods, where there is a Pasdaran barracks . Explosions are heard in Islamshahr , in the southern belt, and where there is a military fort near the Fath highway.
State TV goes live, as it does in the most serious moments. A presenter warns that there are explosions, but specifies that “the origin is unclear” and perhaps they are due to the effectiveness of the air defense system.
At the same time, social media sends videos of a barracks in flames and everyone understands: Israel’s attack on Iran has begun .
“It is the response to months of continuous attacks from the Iranian regime”
Dies Iran, night of hell . From Jerusalem, it takes ten minutes to confirm. “We are conducting precise attacks on military targets ,” a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces communicates, when American TV has already relaunched the news: “It is the response to months of continuous attacks by the Iranian regime against the State of Israel. Like every other sovereign country in the world, we have the right and the duty to respond.”
It is not only the retaliation for the latest, massive Iranian bombing of October 1, the two hundred missiles that wanted to avenge the death of Nasrallah : «The Iranian regime and its allies in the region have been attacking since October 7, on seven fronts, including direct attacks from Iranian territory». Only a half-no-comment from official American sources: «We understand that Israel is conducting targeted attacks on military targets – says spokesman Sean Savett – but for information, contact the Israeli government».
Shortly after 6:00 a.m. Italian time, the Israeli army said the operations were concluded: “The objectives of the attack have been achieved, the retaliatory strike has been completed.” Iranian missile production sites and air defense batteries were hit : “Israel now has greater freedom of action in Iran as well. Iran has hit Israel twice and paid the price, we will know how to select additional targets and hit them if necessary. Anyone who threatens Israel will pay a high price.”
The ayatollahs speak of “limited damage”, the United States urges Tehran to “cease its attacks against Israel so that this cycle of fighting can end without further escalation”.
An “inevitable” revenge
The Israeli strike on Tehran comes just hours after the US moved a patrol of F-16s to Germany , a likely sign that the White House had been informed in advance. Secretary of State Antony Blinken himself, before leaving the Middle East, reportedly asked Netanyahu to avoid Iranian nuclear and oil sites , trying to limit the effects of a revenge that now seemed inevitable.
” Israel’s retaliation against Iran will happen very soon ,” warned a well-informed defense analyst Friday morning: “It may have already started between the time I write these lines and the publication of this newspaper,” Yoav Limor prophesied in Israel Hayom . “The decision has been made, the targets have been identified: the timing remains to be decided, which is a matter best left to the professionals of military operations.”
The decision to attack now, according to IDF sources, was taken after the latest Iranian positions on Israeli attacks in Gaza and Lebanon: after Nasrallah and Sinwar, any other targeted killing would have forced Israel to expect new drones and missiles on Tel Aviv. So, the Israeli generals said to themselves: why wait?
The official strategy, they repeat, is not to want to extend the ongoing war . And many Israeli military experts insist that Iran has no interest in going beyond “standard reprisals .” They say that Tehran is too exposed in its defense of its territory, its air defense does not cover all possible targets, and even its “ring of fire” of the three Hs, Hezbollah-Houthi-Hamas, is not as powerful as it was three months ago.
But the calculations could prove wrong, as has already happened: it is even more difficult, now, to avoid regional conflict . Limor himself wondered, a few hours before the bombing, whether it would not have been better to wait at least for the American elections and the new tenant of the White House, on January 20. Three months, to Netanyahu seemed like an eternity. And the answer came last night.