Middle East tensions soar as Israel attacks Iran

Israel has launched air strikes targeting what it described as "military targets" in Iran, with the state-run media in Iran acknowledging the blasts and saying some of the sounds came from air defence systems around capital Tehran.

There was no immediate information on damage in Iran from early Saturday strikes but Iranian media reported "sound of strong explosions" in and around Tehran and other cities.

Fearing Iranian retaliation, Israeli military said it had "fully mobilised" its offensive and defensive capabilities. Military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, in a separate statement, called on the Israeli people to be "alert and vigilant".

Iran said it is prepared to respond to any Israeli "aggression", Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency said, citing sources. "There is no doubt that Israel will face a proportional reaction for any action it takes," Tasnim said.

Targets did not include energy infrastructure or nuclear facilities, NBC News and ABC News reported, citing an Israeli official.

The semi-official Iranian Fars news agency said several military bases in the west and southwest of Tehran had been targeted by Israel. The Tasnim said Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps bases that were attacked were not damaged.

The United States was notified by Israel ahead of its strikes on targets in Iran but was not involved in the operation, a US official told Reuters news agency.

Hours later Israeli military announced end of its attack, claiming it destroyed Iran's missile manufacturing facilities, surface-to-air missile arrays and other aerial capabilities across several areas of the country.

Iran said Israeli strikes targeted military bases in Ilam, Khuzestan and Tehran provinces, causing "limited damage."

Possible Iranian response

Iran, which has pledged to retaliate in kind, launched two ballistic missile attacks on Israel in recent months amid the ongoing Israel's genocidal war in Gaza that began in October, 2023. Israel also has launched a ground invasion of Lebanon.

Saturday's strike happened just as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was arriving back in the US after a tour of the Middle East where he and other US officials had warned Israel to tender a response that would not further escalate the conflict in the region and exclude nuclear sites in Iran.

Meanwhile, Syrian air defences intercepted "hostile targets" near Damascus early on Saturday, state news agency SANA reported.

Talking to TRT World, political analyst Omar Baddar said that if Israel's current strikes lead to significant casualties among senior Iranian officials or target major facilities, an immediate and forceful response from Iran is likely.

"If this ends up being a significant assault in which senior Iranian officials are taken out or major facilities are targeted, that means a direct Iranian response is impending and all bets are off from there," he stated.

In a separate interview with TRT World, political analyst Negar Mortazavi offered her perspective on the situation, noting that the full extent of the Israeli attack remains unclear.

She cautioned that the severity of the assault may, in fact, be less severe than initially feared. "The extent of the Israeli attack is still not clear," Mortazavi remarked, "adding it may actually be less severe than feared."

F-16s and THAADs "in place"

The Israeli strikes came hours after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced a squadron of F-16 fighter jets was deployed to the Middle East.

"US Air Force F-16s from the 480th Fighter Squadron based at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany arrive in the US Central Command area of responsibility," CENTCOM said in a statement.

US military also moved its advanced anti-missile system to Israel in recent weeks.

"The THAAD system is in place," US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said, speaking to reporters before he arrived in Ukraine on Monday.

THAAD, or the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System, is a critical part of the US military's layered air defense systems and adds to Israel's already robust anti-missile defences.