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Israel has launched airstrikes on Iran in a retaliatory attack that could push the Middle East closer to a regional war. Explosions were reported around Tehran, in the early hours of Saturday, as Israeli jets struck what were described as “military targets” in the country. Follow our live blog on events in the Middle East.
Iran to resume flights after Israeli attack, says aviation authority
Iran announced on Saturday the resumption of flights after a brief suspension following an Israeli attack that targeted several military sites in the country.
“Flights will return to normal from 9:00 am (0530 GMT) on Saturday,” the spokesperson of the Civil Aviation Organisation said, according to the official IRNA news agency.
Israel says it has ‘wider freedom’ in air over Iran after strikes
The Israeli military said its strikes targeting Iran’s air defences on Saturday had given it more freedom to operate in skies over Iran.
“Now, the state of Israel has wider freedom of action in the air over Iran as well,” military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a televised briefing.
Israeli response targeted and proportional, US official says
Israel’s strikes on military sites in Iran appear to have been a targeted and proportional response to Tehran’s earlier attacks, with low risk of civilian harm, a senior Biden administration official said late on Friday.
This should be the end of direct exchange of fire between the two countries, the official said, adding that the U.S. has multiple direct and indirect channels of communication with Iran where it has made its position clear.
Israel army warns Iran will ‘pay heavy price’ if it begins new round of escalation
The Israeli military warned Iran on Saturday that the Islamic republic would “pay a heavy price” if it began a new round of escalation after Israel carried out air strikes in Iran.
“If the regime in Iran were to make the mistake of beginning a new round of escalation, we will be obligated to respond. Our message is clear: All those who threaten the State of Israel and seek to drag the region into a wider escalation will pay a heavy price,” military spokesman Daniel Hagari said in a statement.
Iran says Israeli strikes targeted military bases in 3 provinces, causing ‘limited damage’
Iran’s military said early Saturday that Israeli strikes on the country targeted military bases in Ilam, Khuzestan and Tehran provinces, causing “limited damage.”
The statement from Iran’s armed forces was read aloud on state television, which showed no images of the damage described. Iran’s military claimed its air defenses limited the damage done by the strikes, without providing additional evidence.
Israel army says struck Iran’s missile manufacturing facilities
The Israeli military said on Saturday it had completed its air attack on Iran, saying it hit the Islamic republic’s missile manufacturing facilities, surface-to-air missile arrays and other aerial capabilities across several areas of the country.
“Based on intelligence, IAF (air force) aircraft struck missile manufacturing facilities used to produce the missiles that Iran fired at the State of Israel over the last year,” the military said in a statement.
Welcome to our live blog, where we post the latest news on the war in the Middle East. To read all about yesterday’s key developments, click here.
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Lebanese state media said Friday three journalists were killed in an Israeli air strike overnight in eastern Lebanon near the border with Syria.
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The Israeli army said that five soldiers were killed and two others seriously wounded in fighting in southern Lebanon.
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The UN rights chief said the “darkest moment” of the conflict in Gaza was unfolding in the north of the territory, warning that Israel‘s actions could amount to “atrocity crimes”. The World Health Organization said it had lost contact with staff at northern Gaza’s last functioning hospital, after the Israeli army said it was operating in the area.
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Lebanon’s Transport minister said Friday that Israeli bombing put a second border crossing between the country and Syria out of service — leaving one official passage between the two nations operational.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP, and Reuters)
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