“In response to months of sustained attacks by the regime in Iran against the State of Israel, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is currently conducting precision strikes against military targets in Iran,” the military said in a statement. he said.

Israel had promised retaliation against Iran after the missile attack on October 1. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the response would be “deadly, decisive and surprising”.

Israel has been fighting Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza since the deadliest attack in its history on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,206 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official Israeli figures.

It has since expanded the scope of its operations to include Lebanon and vowed to protect its northern border after nearly a year of attacks launched by Iran-backed Hezbollah in support of Hamas.

“Our defensive and offensive capabilities have been fully mobilized,” the Israeli army said in a statement.

In a separate statement, military spokesman Daniel Hagari urged people to remain “vigilant and vigilant.”

Iran’s attack on October 1 was its second direct attack on Israel, following Israel’s September 27 airstrike in Lebanon that killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and Revolutionary Guard general Abbas Nilforushan.

This also followed the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, in an attack widely blamed on Israel.

The rapid escalation of violence has raised fears of a wider war in the region and pitted Israel against Iran and its allies in what it calls the “axis of resistance.”

‘We are fully mobilized’

Iranian state television said “loud explosions” were heard around the capital on Saturday, but did not specify the cause of the explosions.

“Minutes ago, loud explosions were heard around Tehran, the source of these sounds is not yet clear,” a state television presenter said.

It was later stated that “six powerful explosions” were heard in some parts of Tehran.

An AFP reporter also heard the explosions.

Iranian media said no fire or explosion was reported at the main oil refinery near the capital.

Iran has warned in recent weeks that any attack on its “infrastructure” would prompt an “even stronger response”, while Revolutionary Guard general Rassul Sanairad said an attack on its nuclear or energy facilities would cross a red line.

U.S. National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said the “attacks on military targets” were “a self-defense exercise and a response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Israel on October 1.”

A US defense official told AFP on condition of anonymity that the US was “informed in advance and there was no US involvement”.

The official did not say how far in advance the United States was informed or what was shared by Israel.

Although the scope and nature of Saturday’s attack were not immediately clear, Syrian state news agency SANA said in one possible indication that Syrian air defenses intercepted what it described as “hostile targets” near the capital, Damascus.

“Our anti-aircraft defense is facing hostile targets in the air around Damascus,” SANA said in a statement on Telegram.

“Sounds of explosions” were also reported around Damascus, although the source of the explosions was unclear.