AGL 38.02 Increased By ▲ 0.08 (0.21%)
AIRLINK 197.36 Increased By ▲ 3.45 (1.78%)
BOP 9.54 Increased By ▲ 0.22 (2.36%)
CNERGY 5.91 Increased By ▲ 0.07 (1.2%)
DCL 8.82 Increased By ▲ 0.14 (1.61%)
DFML 35.74 Decreased By ▼ -0.72 (-1.97%)
DGKC 96.86 Increased By ▲ 4.32 (4.67%)
FCCL 35.25 Increased By ▲ 1.28 (3.77%)
FFBL 88.94 Increased By ▲ 6.64 (8.07%)
FFL 13.17 Increased By ▲ 0.42 (3.29%)
HUBC 127.55 Increased By ▲ 6.94 (5.75%)
HUMNL 13.50 Decreased By ▼ -0.10 (-0.74%)
KEL 5.32 Increased By ▲ 0.10 (1.92%)
KOSM 7.00 Increased By ▲ 0.48 (7.36%)
MLCF 44.70 Increased By ▲ 2.59 (6.15%)
NBP 61.42 Increased By ▲ 1.61 (2.69%)
OGDC 214.67 Increased By ▲ 3.50 (1.66%)
PAEL 38.79 Increased By ▲ 1.21 (3.22%)
PIBTL 8.25 Increased By ▲ 0.18 (2.23%)
PPL 193.08 Increased By ▲ 2.76 (1.45%)
PRL 38.66 Increased By ▲ 0.49 (1.28%)
PTC 25.80 Increased By ▲ 2.35 (10.02%)
SEARL 103.60 Increased By ▲ 5.66 (5.78%)
TELE 8.30 Increased By ▲ 0.08 (0.97%)
TOMCL 35.00 Decreased By ▼ -0.03 (-0.09%)
TPLP 13.30 Decreased By ▼ -0.25 (-1.85%)
TREET 22.16 Decreased By ▼ -0.57 (-2.51%)
TRG 55.59 Increased By ▲ 2.72 (5.14%)
UNITY 32.97 Increased By ▲ 0.01 (0.03%)
WTL 1.60 Increased By ▲ 0.08 (5.26%)
BR100 11,727 Increased By 342.7 (3.01%)
BR30 36,377 Increased By 1165.1 (3.31%)
KSE100 109,513 Increased By 3238.2 (3.05%)
KSE30 34,513 Increased By 1160.1 (3.48%)

DUBAI/JERUSALEM: Israel hit back at Iran early on Saturday, with its military saying it was conducting strikes against targets in response to Tehran’s attacks on Israel.

The Middle East has been on edge in anticipation of Israeli retaliation for a ballistic missile barrage carried out by Iran on Oct. 1, in which around 200 ballistic missiles were fired at Israel, Iran’s second direct attack on Israel in six months.

“In response to months of continuous attacks from the regime in Iran against the State of Israel – right now the Israel Defense Forces is conducting precise strikes on military targets in Iran,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.

Iran strike will show your force, Israel’s defence chief tells pilots

Israel says it has the right and duty to respond to attacks from Tehran and its proxies, which have included missile strikes launched from Iranian soil.

“Our defensive and offensive capabilities are fully mobilized,” it added.

The scope of the attack was not immediately clear. Iran’s state TV said several strong explosions were heard around the capital Tehran. Semi-official Iranian media said explosions were also heard in the nearby city of Karaj.

The Tasnim news agency said that “nothing has been reported about hearing the sound of rockets or airplanes in the sky of Tehran so far”.

State TV cited unnamed Iranian intelligence officials as saying that the origin of the loud explosions “could be from the activation of Iran’s air defense system.”

Iranian authorities have repeatedly warned Israel against launching an attack, saying any strike on Iran would be met with a stronger retaliation.

The United States was notified by Israel ahead of its strikes on targets in Iran but was not involved in the operation, a U.S. official told Reuters.

Israel will listen to US but make own decisions, Netanyahu’s office says

“We understand that Israel is conducting targeted strikes against military targets in Iran as an exercise of self-defense and in response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack against Israel on October 1st,” said White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett.

Washington is seeking to head off further widening of the conflict. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that Israel’s retaliation should not lead to greater escalation.

Syrian state TV said explosions were also heard in the Damascus countryside and central region.

Israel’s defense minister said this week that enemies would “pay a heavy price” for trying to harm Israel.

In the past few weeks, Israel has intensified its offensive against Palestinian Hamas in Gaza and its Iran-backed ally Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Comments

Comments are closed.