JERUSALEM — Israel delivered its long-awaited response to Iran’s missile attacks by launching a series of airstrikes against the Islamic Republic early Saturday.

Here’s what you need to know:

Many targets were hit

Under the cover of darkness in the early hours of Saturday, Israel struck several sites in different parts of Iran. Explosions were heard in the capital Tehran, located deep in the country.

The Israeli military said “precise and targeted attacks” hit missile air defense systems and “air capabilities” as well as missile production facilities used to produce weapons used against Israel. Iran insisted the strikes caused only “limited damage”.

It was not immediately clear how hard Israel had been hit, and neither country provided detailed assessments of the devastation. Iran said the attacks targeted military bases in Ilam, Khuzestan and Tehran provinces.

Israel appeared confident in striking Iran’s air defenses, and military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that “Israel now has greater freedom of air operations in Iran.”

It’s also important what doesn’t get hit.

The attacks do not appear to target facilities that would prompt a harsh Iranian response. Most important among these are Iran’s oil infrastructure, the backbone of the OPEC member’s economy, and its nuclear facilities.

President Biden said earlier this month that he would not support Israel attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities.

U.S. officials felt they had reached an agreement with Israel not to strike nuclear or oil sites after sending another air defense missile battery and associated troops, but those assurances were not definitive.

This attack is over

Israel signaled that the pre-dawn bombardment was the end of this offensive.

“The retaliatory attack has been completed and its objectives have been achieved,” Hagari said early Saturday, which is still Shabbat in Israel.

Shortly after, the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran announced that commercial flights, which were stopped due to air strikes, would resume.

Yoel Guzansky, a researcher at the Tel Aviv-based National Security Institute, said the Israeli strikes were intended to deter future attacks and “show that we will not remain silent,” but to do so in a way that minimizes Iran’s embarrassment. Studies.

Anger and calls for restraint

The White House stated that the attacks meant an end to the direct exchange of fire between Israel and Iran, and warned Iran not to respond.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that “it is necessary to avoid further escalation of regional tensions” and called on all parties to exercise restraint.

Reactions in the region were harsher. Iran’s main Arab rival, Saudi Arabia, condemned the attack, calling it a threat to regional security and a “violation of international laws and norms.”

Turkey accused Israel of “bringing our region to the brink of a bigger war” and said that “putting an end to the terror created by Israel in the region has become a historical duty.”

Other countries in the region that condemned the attacks included Syria and Iraq. Hamas did the same when, along with other militants, it attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking nearly 250 hostages to Gaza.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive in the Gaza Strip has led to the deaths of more than 42,000 Palestinians so far; according to local health officials, who did not distinguish between civilians and combatants but said women and children accounted for more than half of the deaths.

Iran’s reaction will be important

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Iran would respond to the airstrikes and that they were a clear violation of international law as Tehran asserted its right to self-defense.

Israel described Saturday’s attack as a response to previous airstrikes by Iran using missiles and explosive drones in April and another missile attack this month. Many of these bullets were shot down before reaching their targets.

Iran could attempt another direct bombardment, but doing so would risk provoking another direct Israeli attack on its territory at a moment when its defenses are weakened.

It could also encourage allied militant groups such as Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon to intensify their attacks; although both have suffered serious blows in their ongoing war with Israel.

“Iran will underestimate the impact of the attacks, which are actually quite serious,” predicted Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at London-based think tank Chatham House.

He said Iran was “strapped by its own military limitations, economic constraints from sanctions, and U.S. election results,” which could further escalate tensions or affect the course of diplomatic assistance.