The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Saturday morning local time that all of the Israeli Air Force (IAF) aircraft that had participated in retaliatory attacks on Iran had returned safely after targeting missile and air defense sites.
The attack was in response to Iran’s large ballistic missile attacks on Israel — first in April, and then on October 1.
The IDF dubbed the operation “Days of Repentance,” referring to the recent Jewish high holidays, and Iran’s attacks.
As Breitbart News reported, citing Israeli sources, the attack took place across the entire breadth of Iran, including sites in the north, south, east, and west, demonstrating Israel’s ability to reach deep into Iranian territory.
Sites within Iran hit by the Israeli Air Force on October 26, 2024, as reported by Israel’s Army Radio. (Israel Army Radio; Map via CIA Factbook)
In a statement, the IDF said:
A short while ago, the IDF completed precise and targeted strikes against military targets in a number of areas in Iran. Our planes have safely returned home.
The strike was conducted in response to the attacks by the Iranian regime against the State of Israel and its citizens in recent months. The retaliatory strike has been completed and the mission was fulfilled.
Based on intelligence, IAF aircraft struck missile manufacturing facilities used to produce the missiles that Iran fired at the State of Israel over the last year. These missiles posed a direct and immediate threat to the citizens of the State of Israel. Simultaneously, the IDF struck surface-to-air missile arrays and additional Iranian aerial capabilities, that were intended to restrict Israel’s aerial freedom of operation in Iran.
Iran fired hundreds of missiles directly toward the State of Israel during two attacks in April and October, and funds and directs terrorist activity through its terror proxies throughout the Middle East, in order to attack the State of Israel and its citizens.
Alongside Iran’s efforts to attack the State of Israel, Iran acts to undermine regional stability and security, and the global economy.
The IDF has a range of offensive operational capabilities, some of which were deployed today during the strikes on strategic assets deep within Iranian territory.
The State of Israel reserves the right to defend its citizens if the Iranian regime continues attacks against the State of Israel and its civilians.
The IDF is conducting ongoing situational assessments and is ready to conduct defensive and offensive action.
There is currently no change to the Home Front Defensive Guidelines. The public is asked to continue following the guidelines.
IDF Spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a statement:
I can now confirm that we have concluded the Israeli response to Iran’s attacks against Israel.
We conducted targeted and precise strikes on military targets in Iran — thwarting immediate threats to the State of Israel.
The Israel Defense Forces has fulfilled its mission.
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.
We demonstrated today that we have both the capability and the resolve to act decisively — and we are prepared — on offense and defense — to defend the State of Israel and the people of Israel.
According to Israel’s Army Radio, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally oversaw the mission from within the IDF’s underground headquarters at the Kirya, the equivalent of the Pentagon, in Tel Aviv.
The Times of Israel reported: “According to the military, dozens of Israeli Air Force aircraft, including fighter jets, refuelers, and spy planes, participated in the strikes some 1,600 kilometers from Israel.”
Update: The Iranian military tried to minimize the damage:
Just to be sure, the Iranian military reminded citizens of Iran that it is illegal to circulate images of Israel’s attack.
Update: The Times of Israel published what is known thus far about the targets that were attacked in Iran, in addition to Russian-supplied S-300 air defenses near Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport:
At least three Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps missile bases were targeted in the strikes, according to the unnamed officials, one of whom is a member of the IRGC.
Israeli drones also targeted the secretive Parchin military base on the outskirts of Tehran, the New York Times report added, citing the officials as saying that one drone hit the site while others were downed.
Israel has stated for years that Iran has carried out activities linked to its nuclear weapons program at Parchin, where the UN’s IAEA nuclear watchdog in 2016 reportedly found evidence of nuclear weapons-related activity.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days, available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency, now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
