Israel pounded Iran with airstrikes early Saturday, saying it was targeting military targets in the country. The attack comes at a time when the West Asian region is standing on the verge of an all-out regional war.
However, the attack by Israel on Iran is hardly a surprise given Israel's constant warnings to Iran about a retaliatory attack in the books. This could push the archenemies closer to all-out war as groups backed by Iran, including Hamas in Gaza, and Hezbollah in Lebanon, are already at war with Israel.
Explosions could be heard in the Iranian capital, Tehran, though there was no immediate information on damage or casualties.
Why Israel Is Attacking Iran
Israel said that it targeted "military targets" in Iran in retaliation for the barrage of ballistic missiles the Islamic Republic fired upon Israel earlier this month.
Israel had vowed to hit Iran hard following a massive Iranian missile barrage on October 1. Iran said its barrage was in response to deadly Israeli attacks against its proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah, and it has promised to respond to any retaliatory strikes.
Was US Aware Of Israel's Plan?
The strikes happened just as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was arriving back in the U.S. after a tour of the Middle East where he and other U.S. officials had warned Israel to tender a response that would not further escalate the conflict in the region and exclude nuclear sites in Iran.
White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement that "we understand that Israel is conducting targeted strikes against military targets in Iran" and referred reporters to the Israeli government for more details on their operation.
Two US officials said the US was notified by Israel in advance of the strikes, as reported by AP. They said there was no U.S. involvement in the operation.