- Israel announced that it launched “precise strikes on military targets in Iran” at approximately 2:30 a.m. local time on Saturday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that the strikes were completed by around 6:00 a.m., claiming the “mission was fulfilled.”
- The IDF stated that these strikes were a response to “months of continuous attacks” from Iran, particularly following a barrage of Iranian missiles launched at Israel on October 1.
- Targets of the airstrikes included missile manufacturing facilities and surface-to-air missile arrays. Notably, there have been no reports of hits on Iranian nuclear facilities or oil fields, which the U.S. had previously urged Israel to avoid.
- While the U.S. was informed about the strikes in advance, it did not participate in the action, according to defense officials.
- A senior U.S. administration official expressed optimism that these strikes “should be the end of the direct military exchange between Israel and Iran.”
- Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded a diplomatic visit to Israel and Saudi Arabia yesterday, where he worked to alleviate escalating regional tensions and advocated for a cease-fire between Hamas and Israel.
