Iran says it shot down Israel’s attack, country activates air defence

TEHRAN: Iran media on Saturday said that the country’s air defence systems in central Tehran had been activated in response to the escalating attacks by Israel. State news agency IRNA said that Iran has successfully shot down “adversial targets” in the airspace around Tehran province.

Iranian state television noted hearing six loud sounds resembling explosions in parts of the capital, with the source of the noises currently unverified. It reported an Iran military official as stating that the Air defence systems were operated to foil attacks on three different locations near Tehran.

A security source informed IRNA that some of the sounds heard were due to air defence activity in Tehran, and the air defence successfully operated during this incident.

On Saturday morning, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced that its military had conducted “precise strikes” on Iranian military targets, around a month after Tehran launched around 200 ballistic missiles towards Israel. “Right now, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) is conducting precise strikes on military targets in Iran”, Israeli army spokesman Rear Admiral Danial Hagari said in a statement.

“I would like to inform you at this late hour that the IDF is currently conducting precision strikes against military targets in Iran. These operations are in response to the Iranian regime’s continued attacks against Israel in recent months and are being carried out under the direction of the political leadership”.

“I can now confirm 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.”

Watch IDF Spokesperson RAdm. Daniel Hagari talk about the… pic.twitter.com/1OOss3etpV

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 26, 2024

The IDF noted that the strikes are being conducted in response to “relentless attacks” from Iran and its proxies since October 7, adding that Israel has the “right and the duty to respond.”

The Israeli military said, “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”, it added.

The IDF stated its “defensive and offensive capabilities are fully mobilised” and that it “will do whatever necessary to defend the State of Israel and the people of Israel. Further, in an official statement, IDF Spokesman Daniel Hagari also personally confirmed that Israel has initiated a wave of strikes against Iran, according to TPS news outlet.

The White House issued a statement early Saturday confirming that Israel is conducting targeted strikes against military objectives in Iran as part of its right to self-defence and in response to Iran’s missile attack on October 1, as per TPS.

According to senior American officials, Israel had notified the White House several hours in advance about the timing of the strikes against Iran.

The spokesman emphasized that the IDF maintains full operational readiness in both offensive and defensive capacities. “We are monitoring developments from Iran and its proxies in the region”, he added.

The conflict in West Asia has continued to rage ever since Hamas launched a massive terror attack on Israel on October 7 last year. (ANI)