Israel says Iran counterattack ‘ongoing,' dozens of missiles fired
Israeli officials on Friday said Iran's counterattack is 'ongoing' after the Islamic republic fired dozens of ballistic missiles toward Tel Aviv.
The retaliatory strikes come hours after the Israeli military took out Tehran's top military leaders and targeted key nuclear facilities in a surprise strike on Thursday.
'The Iranian attack is ongoing. Dozens of additional missiles were launched toward Israel,' the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said in a Friday post on social platform X.
Explosions could be heard throughout Tel Aviv. There have been at least seven hits on the ground in the city, a source told The Hill's sister network NewsNation.
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How Britain could be dragged into the Israel-Iran conflict
It was the moment that Benjamin Netanyahu had awaited for decades: at 3am on Friday, the Israeli prime minister's forces launched a massive attack on Iran, aiming to wipe out swathes of its nuclear weapons programme. Israel said its goal was to 'roll back' Tehran's programme, which it considers an existential threat, and has signalled that more strikes will follow, which could destroy the nuclear project altogether. But as the dust settles following Israel's initial salvo of air strikes, the risk of this operation unleashing an all-out regional war – and one that could even drag in Britain – looks higher than ever. On Friday night, Iran unleashed dozens of Iranian ballistic missiles towards Israel, the IDF said, with explosions heard in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and at least two civilians killed. Credit: X Iran's foreign ministry has signalled that it will retaliate, not only against Israel but also the United States, which it says 'approved' the attack and serves as Israel's 'primary patron'. 'The US government, as the primary patron of this regime, will also bear responsibility for the dangerous repercussions of the Zionist regime's reckless actions,' it warned. Those words could open the door to a large-scale Iranian response against US military bases in the Middle East, including those in Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE. Ellie Geranmayeh, a senior Middle East analyst at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said: 'This is the biggest military attack Iran has faced since the war with Iraq in the 1980s, and is being viewed by Iran as a declaration of war. 'In Iran's view, there is no way that the Netanyahu government acted without a US green light.' Mr Netanyahu confirmed this on Friday, saying that Israel informed the United States about its plans to attack Iran before carrying them out. Credit: Reuters On Friday, The New York Times reported that the US government would 'soon' send additional fighter jets to the Middle East, suggesting that the Trump administration expects attacks shortly from Iran or its proxies that will require a military response. US officials said that the Pentagon is also 'positioning warships and other military assets' in the region to protect American troops from a possible attack. The Iranian statement also claimed that 'grave and far-reaching consequences' will be inflicted on Mr Netanyahu's 'supporters' – raising the possibility that key allies Britain and France might be dragged into regional conflict as well. While the UK is not currently planning to take part in defending Israel from Iranian counter-attacks, Iran's allusion to Western 'supporters' suggests that British military bases in the region could also be considered legitimate targets by Tehran as it draws up plans for retaliation. The UK has air bases in Qatar, the UAE, Oman and Cyprus, as well as a naval support facility in Bahrain. There is already a precedent for the UK launching air strikes on Iran's proxies, such as in April when the RAF used Typhoon jets to strike Houthi drone production sites in Yemen. If Iran were to target UK military sites as part of a wider assault on Israel and its key allies, Britain could react in kind by striking Iranian targets with fighter jets from one of its Gulf state bases, which are on the other side of the Persian Gulf from Iran. Tehran will be under immense pressure to respond forcefully to the latest attack, and says the US will soon 'receive a forceful slap'. But the regime has been left weakened by a string of catastrophic blows over the past two years to its main proxy groups and regional allies, and will be carefully weighing its options for a response. Hezbollah, the regime's biggest proxy group in Lebanon, was decimated by Israel last year, and its closest regional ally, Bashar al-Assad in Syria, was overthrown in December. On Friday, Hezbollah announced that it will not retaliate against Israel on Iran's behalf, underlining how severely it has been weakened by a wave of Israeli airstrikes and pager-bomb attacks, which decapitated its leadership and most senior commanders. In Yemen, the Houthi militia group recently halted its attacks on US vessels in the Red Sea under a ceasefire deal with Washington, and may be reluctant to break that deal only for the sake of rushing to Iran's defences. But experts say that if the Houthis break that ceasefire and rejoin the fray, it could significantly increase the likelihood of British involvement, due to a need to prevent a repeat of the havoc that Houthi strikes caused for trade vessels in the Red Sea in 2023 and 2024. Dr Burcu Ozcelik, a senior fellow from the Royal United Services Institute security think tank, said: 'Any such move would reverberate far beyond Yemen, threatening maritime security in the Red Sea and risking direct entanglement of the US and UK in a widening regional conflict.'In Moscow, Iran's strongest ally, officials have released a lukewarm response to the Israeli operation, which expressed 'concern' about the 'cynical' aggression – hardly a rallying cry to join Tehran in a regional war. In other words, Tehran is diplomatically isolated at present, which could reduce the risk of other key global players, other than the US, being dragged into the fighting. John Foreman, a former UK defence attache to Moscow, said Vladimir Putin was unlikely to get drawn into a Middle Eastern conflict in defence of his Iranian allies. 'Russia's relationship with the UAE and Saudi Arabia is probably more important to it. Iran has always been under the cosh, and now I don't think Russia wants to be between the Americans and the Iranians,' he said. He added that much of the Russian military support that was expected to be given to Tehran as thanks for drone shipments for Putin's war on Ukraine has not materialised. 'If you look at what Russia has given Iran, it has never given them the advanced fighters or the advanced air defence that Iran probably needed,' he said. As for a counter-attack coming directly from Iran, this could involve ballistic missile and drone attacks on Israel and US assets in the region. Previous waves of Iranian missile and drone attacks on Israel, in April and October 2024, caused limited damage, in large part due to air defence and interception provided by Western allies, including the UK. But there is a key difference: Iran's April salvo was responding to Israel bombing an Iranian embassy complex in Damascus, while October's was a response to Israel killing Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader, and Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah leader. Those previous escalations pale in comparison to Friday's direct attacks on Iranian soil, which have not only severely damaged Iran's nuclear facilities but also wiped out some of the country's most senior military commanders – including the chief of staff of the armed forces. Credit: @fararunews / Telegram Iran may also consider asymmetrical forms of retaliation such as cyber-attacks or harassing shipping assets in the Strait of Hormuz to drive up oil prices. Renewed action from Israel in the coming days that goes even further than Friday's attack, and which might occur before Iran manages to respond to the first round, cannot be ruled out. On Friday afternoon, Israel continued to pummel Iran with air strikes targeting surface-to-surface missile launch sites, no doubt seeking to limit Iran's capacity to respond. As of Saturday, Israel appeared to have severely damaged, but not completely demolished, Iran's Natanz site, the main nuclear facility. It targeted other key sites such as the Fordow enrichment facility near Tehran, but not the Isfahan nuclear technology centre, which employs thousands of nuclear scientists. Credit: Reuters The name of Israel's operation – Rising Lion – may even be an allusion to pre-Revolution Iran, as the lion is a symbol of the Iranian monarchy that was overthrown in 1979. This potentially hints that Israel's true goal goes far beyond suppressing the Iranian nuclear programme and could envisage the downfall of the Islamic Republic. If Israel's operation expands even further – and Donald Trump has suggested that it will unless Iran comes to the negotiating table – it could be considered by Iran to not just be a dire threat, but an existential one. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Iran retaliates after Israeli strikes target its nuclear program and military
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes on Israel into Saturday morning, killing at least three people and wounding dozens, after a series of blistering Israeli attacks on the heart of Iran's nuclear program and its armed forces. Israel's assault used warplanes — as well as drones smuggled into the country in advance, according to officials — to assault key facilities and kill top generals and scientists. Iran's U.N. ambassador said 78 people were killed and more than 320 wounded in the attacks. Israel asserted the barrage was necessary before Iran got any closer to building a nuclear weapon, although experts and the U.S. government have assessed that Tehran was not actively working on such a weapon before the strikes. Iran retaliated by launching waves of drones and ballistic missiles at Israel, where explosions lit the night skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and shook the buildings below. The Israeli military urged civilians, already rattled by 20 months of war sparked by Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, to head to shelter for hours. Strikes could derail nuclear talks Israel's strikes also put further talks between the United States and Iran over a nuclear accord into doubt before they were set to meet Sunday in Oman. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman called further nuclear talks with the United States 'meaningless' after Israeli strikes on the country, state television said. 'The U.S. did a job that made the talks become meaningless,' Esmail Baghaei was quoted as saying. He added that Israel had passed all Iran's red lines by committing a 'criminal act' through its strikes. However, he stopped short of saying the talks were cancelled. The Mizan news agency, which is run by Iran's judiciary, quoted him as saying: 'It is still not clear what we decide about Sunday's talks.' Iranian missiles strike Israel Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a recorded message Friday: 'We will not allow them to escape safely from this great crime they committed.' Iran launched waves of missiles at Israel late Friday and early Saturday. Iranians awoke Saturday to state television airing repeated clips of strikes on Israel, as well as videos of people cheering and handing out sweets. Israel's military said more drones were intercepted near the Dead Sea early Saturday. A hospital in Tel Aviv treated seven people wounded in the second Iranian barrage; all but one of them had light injuries. Israel's Fire and Rescue Services said they were wounded when a projectile hit a building in the city. A spokesperson for Beilinson Hospital said one woman was killed. Hours later, an Iranian missile struck near homes in the central Israeli city of Rishon Lezion, killing two more people and wounding 19, according to Israel's paramedic service Magen David Adom. Israel's Fire and Rescue service said four homes were severely damaged. Meanwhile, the sound of explosions and Iranian air defense systems firing at targets echoed across central Tehran shortly after midnight on Saturday. An Associated Press journalist could hear air raid sirens near their home. Iran's semiofficial Tasnim news agency reported a fire at Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport. A video posted on X showed a column of smoke and flames rising from what the outlet said was the airport. The Israeli military said it carried out overnight strikes on dozens of targets, including air defenses, 'in the area of Tehran.' Israel's paramedic services said 34 people were wounded in the barrage on the Tel Aviv area, including a woman who was critically injured after being trapped under rubble. In Ramat Gan, east of Tel Aviv, an AP journalist saw burned-out cars and at least three damaged houses, including one where the front was nearly entirely torn away. U.S. ground-based air defense systems in the region were helping to shoot down Iranian missiles, said a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the measures. Strikes raise fears of all-out war Israel's ongoing airstrikes and Iran's retaliation raised concerns about all-out war between the countries and propelled the region, already on edge , into even greater upheaval. Countries in the region condemned Israel's attack, while leaders around the globe called for immediate deescalation from both sides. Israel had long threatened such a strike, and successive American administrations sought to prevent it, fearing it would ignite a wider conflict across the Middle East and possibly be ineffective at destroying Iran's dispersed and hardened nuclear program. But a confluence of developments triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack — plus the reelection of U.S. President Donald Trump — created the conditions that allowed Israel to finally follow through on its threats. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the U.S. was informed in advance of the attack. On Thursday, Iran was censured by the U.N.'s atomic watchdog for not complying with obligations meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon. The crossfire between Israel and Iran disrupted East-West travel through the Mideast, a key global aviation route, but Jordan's state-run Petra news agent said the country would reopen its airspace to civilian aircraft at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, signaling it believes there is no immediate danger. Above-ground section of Natanz facility destroyed Among the key sites Israel attacked was Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz, where black smoke could be seen rising into the air. It also appeared to strike a second, smaller nuclear enrichment facility in Fordo, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of Tehran, according to an Iranian news outlet close to the government that reported hearing explosions nearby. Israel said it also struck a nuclear research facility in Isfahan, and said it destroyed dozens of radar installations and surface-to-air missile launchers in western Iran. Iran confirmed the strike at Isfahan. U.N. nuclear chief Rafael Grossi told the Security Council that the above-ground section of the Natanz facility was destroyed. The main centrifuge facility underground did not appear to have been hit, but the loss of power could have damaged the infrastructure there, he said. Netanyahu said the attack had been months in the making and was planned for April before being postponed. Israel's Mossad spy agency positioned explosive drones and precision weapons inside Iran ahead of time, and used them to target Iranian air defenses and missile launchers near Tehran, according to two security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. It was not possible to independently corroborate those claims. Over the past year, Israel has been targeting Iran's air defenses, hitting a radar system for a Russian-made air defense battery in April 2024 and surface-to-air missile sites and missile manufacturing facilities in October. The first wave of strikes gave Israel 'significant freedom of movement' in Iran's skies, clearing the way for further attacks, according to an Israeli military official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss details of the attack with the media. The official said Israel is prepared for an operation that could last up to two weeks, but that there was no firm timeline. Among those killed were three of Iran's top military leaders: one who oversaw the entire armed forces, Gen. Mohammad Bagheri; one who led the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard , Gen. Hossein Salami; and the head of the Guard's ballistic missile program, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh. Trump urged Iran on Friday to reach a deal with the U.S. on its nuclear program, warning on his Truth Social platform that Israel's attacks 'will only get worse.' 'Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left,' he wrote. ___ Lidman and Frankel reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press reporter Natalie Melzer contributed from Nahariya, Israel and Nasser Karimi from Tehran. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
