On 19 April 2024 at 5:23 a.m.

IRST An infrared search and track (IRST) system (sometimes known as infrared sighting and tracking) is a method for detecting and tracking objects which give off infrared radiation, such as the infrared signatures of jet aircraft and helicopters. IR ...

, the

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

Air Force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an a ...

launched airstrikes targeting an air defense facility within

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

. The limited airstrikes targeted an air defense radar site at an airbase near

Isfahan Isfahan ( fa, اصفهان, Esfahân ), from its Achaemenid empire, ancient designation ''Aspadana'' and, later, ''Spahan'' in Sassanian Empire, middle Persian, rendered in English as ''Ispahan'', is a major city in the Greater Isfahan Regio ...

, in central Iran. Israeli missiles appear to have hit their target directly. Satellite images suggest that a

surface-to-air missile A surface-to-air missile (SAM), also known as a ground-to-air missile (GTAM) or surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of anti-aircraft syst ...

battery was damaged or destroyed. There was no extensive damage to the base itself. The attack was launched in response to the Iranian drone and missile strikes in Israel, which itself was an Iranian retaliation for the Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus. Iranian media and social media reported minor explosions near Isfahan, where Iran has

nuclear facilities Nuclear may refer to: Physics Relating to the Atomic nucleus, nucleus of the atom: *Nuclear engineering *Nuclear physics *Nuclear power *Nuclear reactor *Nuclear weapon *Nuclear medicine *Radiation therapy *Nuclear warfare Mathematics *Nuclear ...

, a drone manufacturing facility, and a major airbase. Iranian state media said that Israeli drones flying over the region were shot down by the

Iranian Air Defense Force "And You Did Not Throw When You Threw, But God Did Throw" , start_date = 1933–1954 (Part of Ground Force)1954–2008 (Part of Air Force)2008–Present (As Separate Force) , branch = , type = Air defence , command_structure= Artesh , country ...

. Three Iranian officials confirmed to ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' that Israel was involved. US officials confirmed that at least three missiles from Israeli aircraft had struck Iran. No strikes were reported on Iran's nuclear sites. According to a senior US official speaking to

ABC News ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast ''ABC World News Tonight, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include Breakfast television, morning ...

, Israeli aircraft, operating beyond Iran's borders, launched three missiles targeting an air defense radar site guarding the

Natanz nuclear facility Natanz ( fa, نطنز, also romanized as Naţanz) is a city and capital of Natanz County, Isfahan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 12,060, in 3,411 families. It is located south-east of Kashan. Its bracing climate and lo ...

Reuters Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters Corporation. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world. The agency was estab ...

that the explosions were from Israeli drones being shot down, and claimed that there had been no missile attack on Iran.

Background

Middle East escalation

On 7 October 2023,

Hamas Hamas (, ; , ; an acronym of , "Islamic Resistance Movement") is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and nationalist organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Bri ...

, an Islamic militant group supported by Iran, carried out an attack in southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the kidnapping of at least 253 other Israeli and international citizens. Israel responded by launching the ongoing

Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip On the evening of 27 October 2023, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a large-scale invasion inside the Gaza Strip, as part of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, with the stated goal of destroying Hamas and overthrowing it. Background Aft ...

. After 7 October, the Iranian-backed proxy

Hezbollah Hezbollah (; ar, حزب الله ', , also transliterated Hizbullah or Hizballah, among others) is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and militant group, led by its Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah since 1992. Hezbollah's parami ...

in Lebanon began attacking northern Israel. There have been over 4,400 violent incidents recorded between Hezbollah and Israel since the start of the war, and about 100,000 Israelis have been evacuated from northern Israel since the beginning of the conflict. The Iranian-backed

Houthi movement The Houthi movement (; ar, ٱلْحُوثِيُّون ''al-Ḥūthīyūn'' ), officially called Ansar Allah (' ''Partisans of God'' or ''Supporters of God'') and colloquially simply Houthis, is an Islamist, Islamist political and armed move ...

has launched dozens of drones and ballistic missiles towards Israel, and have hijacked and attacked ships in the Red Sea, severely restricting the flow of trade through the Suez Canal.

Bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damascus

On 1 April 2024, the Iranian consulate annex building adjacent to the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria, was struck by an Israeli

airstrike An airstrike, air strike or air raid is an offensive operation carried out by aircraft. Air strikes are delivered from aircraft such as blimps, balloons, fighters, heavy bombers, ground attack aircraft, attack helicopters and drones. The offic ...

, killing 16 people, including a woman and her son, and Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior Quds Force commander of the

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC; fa, سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی, Sepāh-e Pāsdārān-e Enghelāb-e Eslāmi, lit=Army of Guardians of the Islamic Revolution also Sepāh or Pasdaran for short) is a branch o ...

(IRGC), and seven other IRGC officers, in addition to six other militants belonging to Hezbollah and other Iranian supported groups. Soon after the attack, Iran vowed to retaliate, with reports suggesting this as a potential motive for the airstrike. ''

The Jerusalem Post ''The Jerusalem Post'' is a broadsheet newspaper based in Jerusalem, founded in 1932 during the British Mandate of Palestine by Gershon Agron as ''The Palestine Post''. In 1950, it changed its name to ''The Jerusalem Post''. In 2004, the paper w ...

'' reported the building was inside the Iranian diplomatic compound, adjacent to the main embassy building. In the weeks following the attack on the consulate, the United States, France, Germany and the United Kingdom all warned Iran not to retaliate to Israel and escalate the situation.

Iranian strikes in Israel

On 13 April 2024, the

Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC; fa, سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی, Sepāh-e Pāsdārān-e Enghelāb-e Eslāmi, lit=Army of Guardians of the Islamic Revolution also Sepāh or Pasdaran for short) is a branch o ...

(IRGC), a branch of the Iranian military, in collaboration with the Lebanese group

, and the Yemeni Houthis, launched attacks against Israel using drones,

cruise missile A cruise missile is a guided missile used against terrestrial or naval targets that remains in the atmosphere and flies the major portion of its flight path at approximately constant speed. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhe ...

s, and

ballistic missile A ballistic missile is a type of missile that uses projectile motion to deliver warheads on a target. These weapons are guided only during relatively brief periods—most of the flight is unpowered. Short-range ballistic missiles stay within the ...

s. Iran stated that the operation was done in retaliation for the Israeli airstrike on an Iranian consulate annex in Damascus, used by the IRGC, two weeks earlier. The operation was part of the Israel-Hamas war spillover and marked Iran's first direct attack on Israel since the start of their proxy conflict. Israel stated that 99 percent of the drones and missiles were destroyed by a coalition during Operation Iron Shield, most before entering Israeli airspace, while a US official said that at least nine Iranian missiles had struck two Israeli airbases, causing minor damage. The missiles caused minor damage to the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel, which remained operational. An international coalition, including the US, UK, France and Jordan assisted Israel in intercepting Iranian projectiles and in radar coverage. In Israel, a 7-year-old Israeli Bedouin girl was seriously wounded, and thirty-one other people either suffered minor injuries while rushing to shelters or were treated for anxiety. Jordan reported some shrapnel falling on its territory, causing no significant damage or injuries. Iran's attacks drew criticism from the United Nations, several world leaders, and political analysts, who warned that they risk escalating into a full-blown regional war. In the following days, Iran intensified its threats, promising a strong retaliation to any strikes from Israel. Moreover, on 18 April, Iran said that it might expedite its nuclear program if its nuclear installations come under attack.

Strikes

Iran

Reports from Iranian media and on social media platforms indicated that there were explosions near

, in a

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...

known for nuclear sites, a major airbase, and a drone manufacturing facility. Specifically, the state-operated Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported that air defenses were activated at Shekari air base in Isfahan, which hosts Iran's fleet of American-made F-14 Tomcats, which had been acquired prior to the

Iranian Revolution The Iranian Revolution ( fa, انقلاب ایران, Enqelâb-e Irân, ), also known as the Islamic Revolution ( fa, انقلاب اسلامی, Enqelâb-e Eslâmī), was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynas ...

in 1979. Additionally, air defense systems were activated in various provinces after unidentified aerial objects were spotted. IRNA reported that its journalists did not observe any significant damage or explosions throughout the nation, and no disturbances were recorded at any of Iran's nuclear sites. Three Iranian officials told the ''

'' that the strike hit the airbase. US officials later stated that a missile from Israel struck Iran. According to a senior US official speaking to

, Israeli aircraft, operating beyond Iran's borders, launched three missiles targeting an air defense radar site guarding the

. The official further stated that the assessment indicated the successful destruction of the targeted site. He also said that the objective of the strike was to communicate to Iran Israel's capabilities without escalating tensions further. Satellite imagery obtained by ''Umbra'' revealed damage sustained by an Iranian S-300PMU2 surface-to-air missile system 30N6E radar in Isfahan. According to ''

The Economist ''The Economist'' is a British weekly newspaper printed in demitab format and published digitally. It focuses on current affairs, international business, politics, technology, and culture. Based in London, the newspaper is owned by The Econo ...

'', satellite imagery indicates that the Iranians attempted to preserve their reputation after the Israeli attacks by replacing the destroyed air-defense radar with a new one.

Possible related strikes

Syria

SOHR , image = Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Logo.jpg , image_size = 200px , caption = The logo of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights , type = NGO , founded_date = , founder ...

reported that Israeli strikes hit

Syrian Army " (''Guardians of the Homeland'') , colors = * Service uniform: Khaki, Olive * Combat uniform: Green, Black, Khaki , anniversaries = August 1st , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles = 1948 Arab–Israeli War Six ...

radar positions in

As-Suwayda Governorate As-Suwayda or Al-Suwayda Governorate ( ar, مُحافظة السويداء / ALA-LC: ''Muḥāfaẓat as-Suwaydā’'') is one of the fourteen governorates (provinces) of Syria. It is the southernmost governorate and has an area of 5,550 km² ...

and

Daraa Governorate Daraa Governorate ( ar, مُحافظة درعا / ALA-LC: ') is one of the fourteen governorates (provinces) of Syria. It is situated in the south-west of the country and covers an area of 3,730 km2. It is bordered by Jordan to the south, Qune ...

in southern Syria. In a statement, Syria's

defense ministry {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...

confirmed the strikes, stating that Israel carried out an attack using missiles, targeting air defense sites in the southern region and causing material damage. A former senior US defence official said this was compatible with Israel "clearing the air corridor in Syria for a stand-off strike on Iran" and the discovery of spent missile boosters in Iraq.

Iraq

Explosions were also reported in the morning in Baghdad governorate and

Babil Governorate Babil Governorate or Babylon Province ( ar, محافظة بابل ''Muḥāfaẓa Bābil'') is a governorate in central Iraq. It has an area of , with an estimated population of 2,065,042 people in 2018. The provincial capital is the city of Hilla ...

. Fighter jets were heard in

Erbil Erbil, also called Hawler (, ar, أربيل, Arbīl; syr, ܐܲܪܒܹܝܠ, Arbel), is the capital and most populated city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It lies in the Erbil Governorate. It has an estimated population of around 1,600,000. Hu ...

and

Mosul Mosul ( ar, الموصل, al-Mawṣil, ku, مووسڵ, translit=Mûsil, Turkish: ''Musul'', syr, ܡܘܨܠ, Māwṣil) is a major city in northern Iraq, serving as the capital of Nineveh Governorate. The city is considered the second large ...

. The booster of an Israeli air-launched ballistic missile was discovered south of

Baghdad Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...

, indicating that Israeli aircraft had launched their missiles at Iran within Iraqi airspace. The ''

Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nik ...

'' reported experts identifying the missile from the booster remnants as most likely the Blue Sparrow or possibly the

ROCKS In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks form the Earth's ...

Aftermath

Iran subsequently announced the suspension of commercial flights in

Tehran Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...

and in the country's western and central areas. At

Imam Khomeini International Airport Imam Khomeini International Airport is the primary international airport of Tehran, the capital city of Iran, located southwest of Tehran, near the localities of Robat Karim and Eslamshahr and spread over an area of of land. Along with Mehr ...

in Tehran, loudspeakers reportedly informed passengers of the situation. Normal flight operations were later restored, according to Iranian authorities. Several airlines diverted their aircraft away from Iranian airspace; at least eight flights were rerouted. State media in Iran announced the temporary suspension of flights across the country, a restriction lifted later that morning. Details regarding the scope and impact of the attack remain unclear. Iranian media reported that no casualties or damage had occurred. Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency posted a video of a nuclear facility in Isfahan which did not show any damage or signs it had been hit. The

International Atomic Energy Agency The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. It was established in 1957 ...

confirmed that no damage has occurred to Iran's nuclear sites. Iran is the third-largest

producer Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...

in oil cartel

OPEC The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC, ) is a cartel of countries. Founded on 14 September 1960 in Baghdad by the first five members (Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela), it has, since 1965, been headquart ...

and therefore there were concerns about the rise in oil prices. Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates, said that "Any attack on oil production or export facilities in Iran would drive the price of Brent crude oil to $100, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz would lead to prices in the $120 to $130 range."

Analysis

According to an analysis by ''

'', the attack, strategically close to a nuclear site, was designed to send a deliberate message: that Israel has the capability to target more critical sites but chose restraint at this time. This approach demonstrated Israel's readiness to defend its interests whilst also signaling to Iran the potential for more severe action, thereby maintaining a balance of deterrence without provoking an immediate escalation into a broader conflict. The

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likewise noted that a calculated strike on military targets associated with Iran's previous attack on Israel demonstrated the IDF's capabilities, including the capability of not using them in full. The attack was so calibrated that the Iranian regime "downplayed, dismissed and even mocked that anything of consequence happened at all". ''

Haaretz ''Haaretz'' ( , originally ''Ḥadshot Haaretz'' – , ) is an Israeli newspaper. It was founded in 1918, making it the longest running newspaper currently in print in Israel, and is now published in both Hebrew and English in the Berliner f ...

'' opined that the strike was lackluster and muted, a placeholder measure demonstrative of Netanyahu's lack of strategy, and a diversion from the primary issue of the Israel-Gaza War and the rescue of Hamas' hostages. ''

'' gauged the limited strike as smaller than expected, and that while Iranian officials downplayed it, and indeed did not even ascribe it to Israel, there was still room for miscalculation. The ''

Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...

'' also noted that while the immediate escalatory spiral had been stopped, the fundamental dynamic between Israel and Iran remained, and that its new situation had unclear red lines. In his assessment of the Israeli attack,

David Ignatius David Reynolds Ignatius (born May 26, 1950) is an American journalist and novelist. He is an associate editor and columnist for ''The Washington Post''. He has written eleven novels, including '' Body of Lies'', which director Ridley Scott adapt ...

of ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'' observed that Israel demonstrated dominance by initiating and concluding strikes at will, reflecting what experts term 'escalation dominance' by delivering the first and last blow. He also discussed Israel's leadership in a regional coalition against Iran, emphasizing its focus on long-term strategies over immediate retaliation. Ignatius noted also Israel's consideration of the interests of coalition partners Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, which supported Israel's action against Iran quietly. According to an analysis by ''

'', following the Israeli attack, the Iranians replaced the destroyed tombstone radar with a different "cheese board" radar in the same spot. It pointed out that while "Iran is unlikely to fool America or Israel, both of which have high-end satellites and will know that the battery is kaput," the new radar enables the country's propagandists to assert that everything is under control, potentially averting a larger crisis.

Reactions

In his first comment on the strikes on 21 April, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah

Ali Khamenei Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei ( fa, سید علی حسینی خامنه‌ای, ; born 19 April 1939) is a Twelver Shia ''marja and the second and current Supreme Leader of Iran, in office since 1989. He was previously the third president o ...

said that "debates by the other party" on the aspects of the strikes "secondary importance". The

Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...

told CNN that they "do not have a comment at this time." A senior United States official confirmed that Israel had conducted a strike and noted that the US was notified by Israel in advance of the operation. An Iranian official told

that the explosions were due to the activation of Iran's air defense systems, and added that there had been no missile attack on Iran. Israel minister of national security Itamar Ben-Gvir described the attack as "feeble" or "lame" on Twitter. BBC security correspondent Frank Gardener labeled the attack as "limited, almost symbolic". Australia advised its citizens to leave Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories given that the security situation could deteriorate quickly, and the US limited the travel of its embassy personnel to metropolitan regions for similar reasons. On 5 May 2024, two weeks after the attacks, Israeli transportation minister and member of cabinet Miri Regev confirmed Israeli responsibility for the strikes.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Israeli strikes on Iran, 2024 2024 Iran–Israel conflict 2024 airstrikes 2024 controversies 2024 in international relations April 2024 events in Iran April 2024 events in Israel Attacks in Iran in 2024 Airstrikes conducted by Israel Airstrikes during the Israel–Hamas war Airstrikes in Iran Iran–Israel military relations Spillover of the Israel–Hamas war Isfahan