Israel ‘Concludes’ Surgical Strikes in Iran for Détente  

Israel Warns Iran Against Further Retaliation

By Manish Anand

New Delhi, October 26: Israel concluded three rounds of strikes against military targets in Iran on Saturday. Israel sounded out Iran before raining missiles against targeted military targets.

Iranian media outlets claimed that the air defence systems “successfully” blocked the Israeli missile attacks. Israel said that nuclear and oil assets of Iran were not targeted.

The Israeli strikes in Iran came amid reports of leak of classified plan of Israel’s wargame against the Iranian regime. That Israel will take action for Iranian missile attacks was widely anticipated.

Barak Ravid reported in Axios that Israel had sounded out Iran ahead of the strikes. “Israel sent a message to Iran on Friday ahead of its retaliatory airstrikes,” wrote Raid in the report, adding that Israel also warned the Iranians not to respond.

Also Read: Will Israel go after Iran’s Khamenei his possible successors

Israel sounding out Iran ahead of the strikes, per analysts, may be aimed at averting escalation with the Islamic regime. Also, Israel may be warning Iran, they added, from interfering in the ongoing purge of the Hezbollah and the Hamas in Lebanon and Gaza respectively.

This was further supported by the White House dropping clues, as it indicated that the Israeli strikes against military targets in Iran should end exchange of fire (missile attacks) between the two countries”. Amid the Israeli attacks, the US stood by Israel, saying that Tel Aviv has a right to defend itself. The US warned Iran of “consequences” in the event Israel is attacked again by Tehran.

Israel and the US have taken care to send out message that a regional conflict in the Middle East is not desired. The US stated that Washington will not support attacks on the military and oil assets of Iran. Israel also underlined that the targets of attacks were military facilities with missile launch capabilities.

Also Read: US takes guards for Israel ahead of ground incursion in Lebanon

Israel claims that it has been facing attacks on seven fronts since October 7 last year. The Hamas had attacked Israel last year on October 7, leaving a death toll of over 1200 and several hostages still in the captivity according to the claims of the Israeli Defence Force (IDF). The US President, Joe Biden, this week said that if he had been in the position of Benhamin Netanyahu (Israeli prime minister, he wouldn’t have attacked the oil assets of Iran.

“The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since October 7th—on seven fronts—including direct attacks from Iranian soil. Like every other sovereign country in the world, the State of Israel has the right and the duty to respond,” said IDF spokesperson Real Admiral Daniel Hagari.

Speaking to Neas Nation, John Spencer, a military conflict analyst, said that the aims of the Israeli strikes were to change the behaviour of the regime in Tehran. “This is about changing the Islamic Regime in Iran’s behaviour,” said Spencer. The analyst agreed with the US statement in the past that “Israel has had to stand alone before”.

Hagari in the video statement also stressed that “we have concluded the Israeli response to Iran’s attacks against Israel”. “We conducted targeted and precise strikes on military targets in Iran — thwarting immediate threats to the State of Israel,” he added.

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About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

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