Israel Concludes ‘Days of Repentance’ Strikes on Iran in Four Hours
Tehran (Quds News Network)- Early Saturday, Israel launched a swift airstrike campaign on Iranian military sites, concluding its “Days of Repentance” attack within four hours. The strikes targeted locations in Tehran and surrounding areas, with few explosions heard in the Iranian capital.
The campaign, which began around 2 a.m., reportedly involved multiple waves of strikes. Israeli media claimed that the strikes initially focused on Iranian air defense systems. It added that three strike waves were executed across Tehran, Shiraz, and other regions. By dawn, Israeli military sources announced the completion of the operation, stating it was directly ordered by Israel’s political leadership.
Scenes from west of the capital, Tehran, now. pic.twitter.com/8HmV1szpTj
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) October 26, 2024
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant coordinated the ‘Days of Repentance’ attack from an underground facility at Israel’s Ministry of Defense. In response to the action, a US official urged Iran to avoid escalation, warning that any counter-attack would prompt a “serious” defensive reaction.
Israeli sources informed US and international media that they had sent a prior message to Iran through intermediaries, clarifying the scale of the impending operation and advising restraint. Reports also confirmed that the operation intentionally avoided targeting Iranian nuclear or oil facilities, focusing solely on military infrastructure.
Iran’s air defense system responded swiftly, intercepting several Israeli drones around Tehran and engaging targets in at least three separate areas. Iran’s defense command later stated that it had successfully minimized the damage, which was contained to a few military locations in Tehran, Khuzestan, and Ilam provinces.
According to Tasnim News Agency, Iran’s defense systems intercepted small drones attacking sites east of Tehran, where sounds of multiple explosions were reported. Iranian authorities, meanwhile, conducted investigations into the origin of the blasts, while national outlets like Fars News countered claims by confirming no Revolutionary Guard facilities were impacted.
In response to the situation, Iran’s Civil Aviation Authority suspended all domestic flights temporarily, though officials at Imam Khomeini and Mehrabad airports reported that operations quickly returned to normal without any security incidents.
While Iran’s government refrained from immediate retaliation, officials underscored Tehran’s right to defend itself, stating that any further action by Israel would be met with an appropriate response.
Israel claims that its ‘Days of Repentance’ attack was in retaliation for Iran’s ballistic missiles strikes on the occupation state earlier this month. The Iranian strikes, however, were carried out after Israel assassinated Hamas’ leader Ismail Haniya while he was visiting Tehran to attend the inauguration ceremony for Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian. Iran’s strikes also were carried out following Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
