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Iran’s military has indicated that Tehran will not immediately retaliate after Israel launched air strikes on the Islamic republic, escalating the conflict between the regional foes and stoking fears of an all-out war in the Middle East.
Israeli forces carried out three waves of attacks on Iran on Saturday, claiming to have targeted military facilities such as missile manufacturing plants and air defense systems, in response to the barrage Iran unleashed at Israel three weeks ago.
The attacks resulted in the deaths of four soldiers, but Iran downplayed the impact of the strikes. Later on Saturday, the General Staff of the Armed Forces stated that the Islamic republic “reserved its legal and legitimate right to respond at an appropriate time”.
Instead of vowing revenge, the statement emphasized Iran’s focus on supporting a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, where Israeli forces are engaged in conflicts with Hamas and Hezbollah respectively; both militant groups are backed by Iran.
Israel launched the strikes early Saturday in retaliation for an Iranian missile attack on October 1, but both sides seemed to want to avoid a full-scale war.
The Netanyahu government remained largely silent about the attack, with the prime minister even prohibiting his ministers from giving interviews on Saturday.
Even far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir issued a brief statement supporting the strikes but expressing hope that they were just an initial move against Iran. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) vaguely described the “precise strikes” on missile production sites and air defense systems, while issuing warnings of further attacks if Tehran retaliated.
The US had urged Israel to refrain from targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities or oil installations as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government prepared its response to the Iranian ballistic missile attack three weeks ago.
Following Israel’s declaration that the assault was over, the Biden administration stated that Israel’s response should signal the end of the latest cycle of attacks between the two countries. The US has conveyed this message directly and indirectly to Tehran.
If Iran retaliates, Washington will defend and support Israel, and there will be consequences, the US official added.
Iran’s foreign ministry denounced the strikes as a “blatant violation of international law,” asserting that the republic has the right to exercise legitimate self-defense against foreign acts of aggression.
However, like Iran’s armed forces, the foreign ministry did not threaten an immediate response.
In telephone conversations with his Egyptian and Qatari counterparts on Saturday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that “Iran will not hesitate to respond decisively and proportionately to any violation of its territorial integrity,” but emphasized that any response would come at the appropriate time.
The Iranian armed forces claimed in their statement that a “significant” number of Israeli missiles were intercepted, and those that hit their targets caused only “limited damage” to radar systems, some of which have already been repaired.
Iran’s air defense headquarters reported that Israel targeted military bases in Tehran, the southwestern province of Khuzestan, and the western province of Ilam.
Explosions were heard in Tehran, and Iranians on social media described multiple blasts that shook the capital. State media confirmed that four soldiers had been killed.
Iranian state television downplayed the impact of the strikes on daily life. In street interviews, residents either claimed not to have heard any explosions or downplayed the significance of the event.
The coverage praised the country’s air defense systems, framing the incident as a victory for Iran and a failure for Israel.
Arab states, including Iran’s traditional regional rivals the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, condemned Israel’s attack, expressing concerns about a regional escalation, with Riyadh labeling it as a “violation of international laws”.