Iran’s military suggests a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon trumps any retaliation against Israel

TEL AVIV, Israel — Iran’s military issued a carefully worded statement late Saturday suggesting a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, with Lebanon ruling out any retaliation against Israel.

While it said it had the right to retaliate, the statement suggested Tehran may be trying to find a way to avoid further escalation after Israel’s attack early Saturday.

The Iranian military added that Israel used so-called “stand-off” missiles over Iraqi airspace to launch its strikes and that the warheads were much lighter to travel the distance to the targets they hit in three provinces from Iran.

The statement said Iranian military radar sites had been damaged, but some were already under repair.

THIS IS A HATE NEWS UPDATE. AP’s previous story follows below.

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel attacked military targets in Iran with air strikes before dawn Saturday in retaliation for ballistic missile barrage The Islamic Republic fired on Israel earlier this month. The strikes marked the first time the Israeli military had openly attacked Iran.

Following the airstrikes, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said it had the right to self-defense and “considers itself justified and obliged to defend itself against foreign acts of aggression.” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran has “no limits” in defending its interests.

The Israeli military said it had targeted facilities that Iran used to produce the missiles fired at Israel, as well as surface-to-air missile sites. There was no immediate indication that oil or nuclear sites had been hit, which would have marked a much more serious escalation.

Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency said four people were killed, all with the country’s military air defenses. He did not say where they were stationed. Iran’s military said the strikes targeted military bases in Ilam, Khuzestan and Tehran provinces, without giving details. The Islamic Republic said the attacks caused “limited damage”.

The strikes risk pushing enemies closer to all-out war at a time of spiral of violence in the Middle Eastwhere Iranian-backed militant groups—including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon — I already am at war with Israel.

US President Joe Biden told reporters that Israel had warned him before the strikes and said “they hit nothing but military targets”. He said he had just finished a call with intelligence officials.

“I hope this is the end of it,” he said.

Iran has not faced sustained bombing from a foreign enemy since its 1980s war with Iraq. Explosions were heard in Tehran until sunrise.

On October 1, Iran fired at least 180 missiles into Israel in retaliation for devastating blows Israel has landed against Hezbollah. They caused minimal damage and a few injuries. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran had “made a big mistake”.

Israel is also believed to be behind a limited air attack in April near a major air base in Iran that hit the radar system for a Russian-made air defense battery. Iran had fired a barrage of missiles and drones in Israel in April, provoking minimal damageafter two Iranian generals were killed in an apparent Israeli airstrike on an Iranian diplomatic post in Syria.

“Iran attacked Israel twice, including in locations that endangered civilians, and paid the price for it,” said Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari. He added: “Should the regime in Iran make the mistake of starting a new round of escalation, we will be forced to respond.”

Footage released by the Israeli military showed members preparing to depart for strikes with US-made F-15 and F-16 warplanes.

Israel’s attack did not take out highly visible or symbolic facilities that could provoke a significant response from Iran, said Yoel Guzansky, a researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv who previously worked for Israel’s National Security Council.

It also gives Israel room to escalate if necessary, and targeting air defense systems weakens Iran’s capabilities to defend against future attacks, he said, adding that if there is Iranian retaliation, it should be limited.

Israel has again shown its precision and military capabilities are superior to Iran’s, said Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at the Chatham House think tank in London.

“By targeting military sites and missile facilities over nuclear and energy infrastructure, Israel is also sending a message that it does not want further escalation for now,” Vakil said. “This is a sign that diplomacy and backroom efforts to moderate the attack have been successful. .”