Israel striking targets in Iran – IDFThe Israeli military is now conducting “precise strikes on military targets in Iran”, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has just posted on X.The strikes are in response to “months of continuous attacks from the regime in Iran against the state of Israel”, the IDF post says.It also says Israel’s “defensive and offensive capabilities are fully mobilized”.
The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since October 7th – on seven fronts – including direct attacks from Iranian soil.
Like every other sovereign country in the world, the state of Israel has the right and the duty to respond.
Our defensive and offensive capabilities are fully mobilized. We will do whatever necessary to defend the state of Israel and the people of Israel.
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 regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking… pic.twitter.com/OcHUy7nQvN— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 25, 2024ShareUpdated at 01.44 CESTKey eventsShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this featureThe Israeli military says Lieut Gen Herzi Halevi, the chief of the general staff, is currently commanding the strike on Iran from the Israeli air force underground command centre in Camp Rabin with the commander of the Israeli air force, Maj Gen Tomer Bar.The Chief of the General Staff, LTG Herzi Halevi, is currently commanding the strike on Iran from the Israeli Air Force underground command center in Camp Rabin (The Kirya) with the Commanding Officer of the Israeli Air Force, Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar. pic.twitter.com/HChm7XdTds— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 26, 2024

ShareHere’s a full report, just sent live, on Israel’s strikes on Iran early today.ShareSeveral military bases in Iran’s west and south-west of Tehran have been targeted by Israel, Reuters cites the semi-official Iranian news agency Fars as reporting.ShareA resident in Tehran says at least seven explosions could be heard and they rattled the Iranian’s capital’s surrounding area.Associated Press reports the resident spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.Iranian state-run media in Tehran initially acknowledged the blasts and said some of the sounds came from air defence systems around the city.Meanwhile in Syria, state media described its air defences as targeting “hostile targets” there as well.ShareA US official says the United States has no involvement in Israel’s military operation against targets in Iran.Reuters also cites the White House as saying it understood that Israel was conducting the strikes against military targets “as an exercise of self-defence”.A US official confirmed that Israel notified Washington before carrying out the strikes.ShareFor some background, Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant said this week that its planned airstrikes on Iran would make the world understand Israel’s military mightAs Julian Borger and William Christou reported, the Middle East has been braced for more than three weeks for a threatened Israeli response to Iran’s 1 October missile attack, which was in turn a reprisal for Israel’s killing of Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah.Gallant visited aircrews at Hatzerim airbase on Wednesday and made clear that Israel still intended to strike back.“After we attack in Iran, they will understand in Israel and elsewhere what your preparations have included,” Gallant told the crews in a video distributed by his office.On X, Gallant added more about his exchange with the air force personnel, saying:
In my conversation with them I emphasised – after we attack Iran, everyone will understand your might, the process of preparation and training – any enemy that tries to harm the state of Israel will pay a heavy price.
The Guardian’s report continued:The extent of Israel’s target list has been the subject of protracted conversations between Israeli leaders and the Biden administration, which has urged them not to strike Iran’s oil industry infrastructure or its nuclear programme. Washington fears a cycle of escalation, particularly in the last two weeks before the US presidential election.ShareThe White House was notified shortly before Israel carried out the airstrikes on Iran, Reuters quotes Fox News as reporting.ShareIsrael striking targets in Iran – IDFThe Israeli military is now conducting “precise strikes on military targets in Iran”, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has just posted on X.The strikes are in response to “months of continuous attacks from the regime in Iran against the state of Israel”, the IDF post says.It also says Israel’s “defensive and offensive capabilities are fully mobilized”.
The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since October 7th – on seven fronts – including direct attacks from Iranian soil.
Like every other sovereign country in the world, the state of Israel has the right and the duty to respond.
Our defensive and offensive capabilities are fully mobilized. We will do whatever necessary to defend the state of Israel and the people of Israel.
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 regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking… pic.twitter.com/OcHUy7nQvN— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 25, 2024ShareUpdated at 01.44 CESTIran’s state TV has reported several strong explosions being heard around Tehran but that there is no official comment about the source of explosions, Reuters is reporting.Semi-official Iranian media said the cause of the blasts was unknown.Israel has been planning a response to a ballistic-missile barrage carried out by Iran on 1 October, Tehran’s second direct attack on Israel in six months.ShareIsraeli journalist Barak Ravid, who works for Axios, just posted on X that Israel has conducted airstrikes in Iran, citing two sources as telling him.🚨🚨🚨🇮🇱🇮🇷Israel conducted air strikes in Iran, two sources with knowledge told me— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) October 25, 2024It has just passed 2.50am in the Iranian capital.ShareUpdated at 01.23 CESTMultiple blasts heard in TehranAt least five explosions have been heard in Iran’s capital, Tehran, and in nearby Karaj city, Reuters has just quoted semi-official Iranian media as saying.ShareUpdated at 01.12 CESTWe’re pausing this blog for the moment but will bring you latest breaking news as it happens.You can read all our latest coverage from the region here:ShareThe EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said journalists are “paying a heavy price” while covering the conflict in the Middle East.Posting to X after three journalists were killed and several others wounded in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon this morning, Borrell said:
Press freedom and access must be guaranteed & journalists protected, always.
Journalists are paying a heavy price while covering the Middle East conflict. Three have been killed today in an IDF strike in Lebanon; almost 130 the victims in the last year in Gaza. We condemn this. Press freedom and access must be guaranteed & journalists protected, always.— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) October 25, 2024

ShareIsraeli strike on Syria-Lebanon crossing ‘puts at risk main lifeline for people to escape conflict’, warns UNMore than half a million people, mostly Syrians, had crossed into Syrian territory since Israel began heavily striking Lebanon late last month, according to figures by the Lebanese authorities on Friday.A statement from the country’s disaster management unit stated that since 23 September, Lebanon has “recorded the crossing of 348,237 Syrian citizens and 156,505 Lebanese citizens into Syrian territory”.Meanwhile, as we reported earlier, Israeli bombing has reportedly put a second border crossing between Lebanon and Syria out of service, leaving just one official passage between the two nations operational.The UN refugee agency (Unhcr) warned that Israel’s overnight airstrike on the Jousieh crossing in Lebanon’s northern Bekaa area jeopardised the main escape route for people fleeing the conflict in Lebanon in search of refuge in Syria.Unhcr Middle East spokesperson Rula Amin, at a media briefing on Friday, said the crossing “is the only route these people have to escape Lebanon”, adding:
This is hindering and really putting at risk a main lifeline that people use to escape the conflict in Lebanon and cross into Syria.
Amin said the Jousieh strike hit within 500 metres (550 yards) of the immigration office, with no prior notification given.It is the second such gateway hit by the Israeli army this month. The Israeli military confirmed that it had struck the Jousieh crossing, saying it was being used by Hezbollah to transfer weapons.ShareUpdated at 19.52 CESTSummary of the day so farIt’s 8.30pm in Gaza, Beirut and Tel Aviv. Here’s a recap of the latest developments:

Israeli military strikes across Gaza have killed at least 72 Palestinians since Thursday night, including strikes on residential areas in southern Gaza that killed 38 people, including 13 children from the same extended family, Palestinian health officials said. Gaza’s health ministry reported that dozens of people were wounded as Israeli airstrikes and shelling pounded the southern city of Khan Younis. Palestinians said the neighbourhood was hit with no warning. Israeli strikes on three houses in Beit Lahiya killed 25 people and wounded dozens more, medics said. Later on Friday, an Israeli airstrike killed nine people in Shati camp in Gaza City, medics said.

Israeli forces stormed Kamal Adwan hospital, one of the few medical facilities still functioning in north Gaza, on Thursday night, according to reports. “Israeli forces have stormed and are present inside Kamal Adwan hospital” in the city of Jabalia, Gaza’s health ministry said. The World Health Organization said on Friday it lost touch with staff at the hospital, where some had been the night before to deliver supplies and help transfer patients to Shifa hospital in Gaza City. The hospital’s director, Abu Safiya, could not be reached on Friday.

The UN rights chief, Volker Türk, described Israel’s renewed assault on northern Gaza as the “darkest moment” of the year-long war on the territory so far. “We are facing what could amount to atrocity crimes, including potentially extending to crimes against humanity,” Türk said in a statement on Friday.

Three journalists from the Hezbollah-affiliated TV stations Al Mayadeen and Al-Manar were killed and several others wounded in an Israeli airstrike on their press station in Hasbaya, southern Lebanon, early on Friday morning. The strikes hit a group of small chalets that 18 journalists from at least seven different media outlets – including Al Jazeera, Sky News Arabia and TRT – were staying in while covering the Israel-Hezbollah war in south Lebanon. Several cars with “Press” signs on them were parked in front of the site. Lebanon’s prime minister, Najib Mikati, said the attack was “deliberate” and “aims to terrorise the media to cover up crimes and destruction”.

Lebanon’s health minister, Firass Abiad, said more than 163 rescuers and health workers have been killed and 272 injured in Israeli airstrikes during more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Abiad, speaking to reporters on Friday, said Israel has carried out attacks on 55 hospitals, 36 of which were directly hit. Eight hospitals have been closed while seven are still partially functioning, he said. Attacks against the medical and paramedic sectors in Lebanon are direct and intentional aggressions,” Abiad said. “This is a war crime.”

Two people were killed in a strike on Majd al-Krum in northern Israel, Israeli media said on Friday, following a statement from Hezbollah saying that it targeted the northern Israeli town of Karmiel with a large missile salvo.

UN peacekeepers withdrew from a observation post in Zahajra town in south Lebanon on Tuesday after Israeli forces fired at it, the force said on Friday. Unifil added that the Israeli military has repeatedly demanded that its peacekeepers vacate its positions along the Blue Line and deliberately damaged camera, lighting and communications equipment at some of these positions.

Lebanon’s transport minister, Ali Hamieh, said Israeli bombing put a second border crossing between the country and Syria out of service -leaving one official passage between the two nations operational. The UN refugee agency (Unhcr) warned that Israel’s overnight airstrike on the Jousieh crossing in Lebanon’s northern Bekaa area jeopardised the main escape route for people fleeing the conflict in Lebanon in search of refuge in Syria. More than half a million people, mostly Syrians, had crossed into Syrian territory since Israel began heavily striking Lebanon late last month, according to figures by the Lebanese authorities on Friday.

Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, called for pressure on Israel to end what he called the “ethnic cleansing” in Gaza, as he met the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, in London. Blinken, who is still hoping Gaza peace talks can be revived, stopped over in the UK to brief leaders from Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan after he had been unable to meet them on his recent tour of the Middle East.

Blinken also met with Lebanon’s prime minister, Najib Mikati in London on Friday. The US – Israel’s biggest arms supplier – has stopped short of calling for an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s month of bombing of Lebanon, but is instead calling for a diplomatic resolution. Blinken said Israel “must take the necessary steps to avoid civilian casualties and not endanger UN peacekeepers or the Lebanese armed forces.”
ShareUpdated at 19.56 CEST