In response to a barrage of over 180 missiles launched by Iran earlier this month, Israel carried out retaliatory airstrikes on Friday.
Explosions were reported near Tehran and Karaj, Iran, according to local media cited by Reuters.
The Israeli military action followed Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s vow of a “precise and deadly” response to the Iranian attack, some of which were intercepted with U.S. assistance.
Prior to the airstrikes, the Israeli Defense Forces presented a list of potential targets to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Gallant, while Israeli officials engaged in “sensitive coordination” with other Middle Eastern nations.
“The regime is vulnerable, and it’s up to us to decide which message we want to send to them,” Israeli ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon told Digital. “It will be very painful for the Iranian regime, and they will think twice in the future whether to attack Israel or not.”
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attributed the missile barrage to the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, Lebanon, during an Israeli airstrike and the killing of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July. Israel later eliminated in a military operation in the Gaza Strip on Oct. 16.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has previously referred to Nasrallah as “the flag-bearer of resistance” in the region.
“The blood of the martyr shall not go unavenged,” according to Reuters.
During the Oct. 1 Iranian attack, no casualties were reported in Israel, although one Palestinian was killed in the West Bank.
The showing the USS Cole and USS Bulkeley firing about a dozen ballistic missile interceptors to help thwart Iranian aggression.
Iran also attacked Israel in April of this year, launching around 300 missiles and drones. Jerusalem, following Western calls for restraint, responded by targeting Iran’s air defenses and destroying part of an S-300 long-range air defense system.
To strengthen Israel’s defenses against potential future attacks from Iran, a U.S. missile defense system is
’ Morgan Phillips, Caitlin McFall, Stephen Sorace and Liz Friden contributed to this report.