Operation Days of Repentance 1
Yimi Tshuva - 26 October 2024
The Israeli military said 02 November 2024 that a new department for Iran was created in the Research Department of the Military Intelligence Directorate (AMAN) , and a so-called "deep" department was created in the Air Force Intelligence Directorate , likely responsible for planning and carrying out air strikes directly on Iranian territory. In addition, IDF officials said the IAF had conducted multiple exercises before the strikes on Iranian territory, which confirms the authenticity of the leaked US intelligence documents before the attack , which the FBI was investigating.
Iran's nuclear sites are "more vulnerable than ever" to Israeli strikes, Israel's new defense minister, Yisrael Katz, said 12 November 2024 during a meeting with the General Staff. Katz posted his statements on his X account, and attached a photo of the meeting on 10 Novembe 2024, saying: “Iran is today more exposed than ever to our strikes targeting its nuclear facilities. We have the opportunity to achieve our most important goal, which is to eliminate the existential threat to the State of Israel.” Iran had twice directly targeted Israeli territory this year, and Israel has launched attacks on Iranian military facilities.
This came amid fears of the conflict in the Middle East expanding, after it extended from Gaza to Lebanon, where Israel is launching ground military operations in the south, while armed groups supported by Iran, led by the Lebanese Hezbollah, the Yemeni Houthis and other groups in Iraq, continue to strike Israel with drones and missiles.
In a striking statement, an advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned against any "ill-considered" response to the Israeli strikes that targeted Iran last month, especially since this statement came just hours after the announcement of Republican candidate Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential elections.
Iran fired hundreds of missiles directly to the territory of the State of Israel in the months of April and October, and it finances and directs terrorist operations throughout the Middle East, with the aim of harming the State of Israel and its citizens, Iran was working to harm the security stability of the Middle East and the global economy, some of which are offensive were carried out today by attacking strategic formations deep in Iran. The Israeli attack on Iran raised questions about the existence of "indirect channels of communication" aimed at containing the confrontation and preventing it from getting out of control.
The Israeli Air Force attacked missile production facilities that Iran had launched at the State of Israel in the past year. At the same time, Iran's surface-to-air missile arrays and other air capabilities were attacked, which were intended to limit Israel's air freedom of action in Iran. The attack was carried out by Air Launched Ballistic Missiles fired from fighter planes that did not penetrate Iran's airspace. The State of Israel reserved the right and the duty to protect the citizens of the State, if the regime in Iran continues its attacks against the State of Israel and its citizens.
The Days of Repentance, also known as Aseret Yemei Teshuva in Hebrew, or the Days of Awe (Yamim Noraim), are the ten days between Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). These days serve as a period for reflection, self-assessment, and repentance in preparation for Yom Kippur, which is considered the holiest day in Judaism. This period is deeply spiritual and focused on self-reflection, repentance (teshuva), and seeking forgiveness from both God and other people. It’s seen as a time to reset intentions and make amends for any wrongs done over the past year. The Sabbath that falls between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is known as Shabbat Shuvah, based on the Haftarah reading from Hosea, which begins with "Shuvah Yisrael" ("Return, O Israel"). The day emphasizes returning to God and strengthening the commitment to spiritual growth. The Days of Repentance provide an opportunity to reconcile with others and strive for a renewed commitment to one’s values, enhancing personal growth and community ties in the Jewish faith.
Each day is an opportunity to look inward, evaluate one’s actions, and make genuine efforts to change. Jewish teachings suggest that true repentance involves recognizing one’s mistakes, feeling regret, resolving not to repeat them, and making amends where possible. Jewish tradition emphasizes the importance of seeking forgiveness from others before approaching God for forgiveness. This means apologizing to those one may have hurt and mending damaged relationships. During these days, the “Book of Life” is open, and God is said to be deciding the fate of every person for the coming year. The goal of the Days of Repentance is to engage in enough sincere introspection, repentance, and acts of goodwill to "seal" one’s name in the Book of Life for a good year ahead."
Before the main attack in Iran, the IDF attacked defense batteries in Syria and Iraq, which were intended to limit the freedom of air operations of Israel for action in Iran. Israel also attacked an S-300 air defense battery that was stationed at the Imam Khomeini International Airport and provides protection to parts of the Iranian capital. Israel then attacked about 20 different targets in Iran. The IDF said that it was aimed at military compounds, air defense systems, missile production facilities and surface-to-surface missile launchers in the Tehran districts as well as the Khuzestan and Ilam districts in the west of the country. At least three missile bases of the Revolutionary Guards in the Tehran district were damaged in the later rounds of Israeli attacks. Israeli drones attacked the secret Perchin military base on the outskirts of the Iranian capital. According to the report, one of the drones hit the base while others were intercepted.
The New York Times reported, citing an Israeli source, that in the second wave of attacks, a component defined as "critical" in Iran's long-range missile production process was attacked. The report did not specify whether the component was indeed destroyed. The Saudi "Ilaf" website published that a factory producing solid fuel for ballistic missiles that were used in the attack on Israel in October was damaged in attacks in Iran. About 20 solid fuel mixers were destroyed in the factory, with the cost of each of them estimated at about 2 million dollars.
For more than three hours in three different waves, about 140 fighter jets, purpose fighter planes, rescue helicopters, refueling planes and intelligence planes attacked military compounds, air defense systems, missile production facilities and surface-to-surface missile launchers in Tehran districts as well as Khuzestan and Ilam districts in the west of the country. The "Wall Street Journal" reported that Iran received a warning from Israel hours before the attack that was transmitted to it through other countries. Israel clarified which targets Israel plans to attack, and emphasized that if Iran plans to respond, Israel's next attacks will be more powerful.
After about 25 days, the Israeli response to the Iranian missile attack was launched when the Air Force began a round of night strikes in Iran. What began around 02:15, as foreign reports of explosions throughout the capital Tehran, was confirmed about half an hour later. IDF spokesman, Brigadier General Daniel Hagari, stated 2:28 local time, 26 October 2024, "Good night and Shabbat Shalom, I would like to inform you at this late hour that the IDF is now precisely attacking military targets in Iran. This is in response to the ongoing attacks of the regime in Iran against the State of Israel in recent months, and in accordance with the guidance of the political echelon. The IDF is fully prepared in attack and defense. We follow the developments from Iran and its proxies in the region. We are conducting a continuous assessment of the situation in the home front, and at this stage there is no change in the instructions of the home front command. You must continue to be alert and vigilant, and obey the directives of the Home Front Command. I will be here to update you on all developments, as necessary, and immediately."
A few hours later, IDF spokesman, Brigadier General Daniel Hagari, stated : "A short time ago, our planes returned safely after attacking military targets in Iran. The response attack was completed and its goals were achieved. Under the guidance of the political echelon, we attacked targets in various areas in Iran in a precise and targeted manner. "Iran attacked Israel twice, including in places that endangered civilians, and paid the price for it. We are focused on the goals of the war in Gaza and Lebanon. Iran is the one that continues to push for a broad regional escalation. The targets that were attacked were chosen from a wide target bank, targets of various types, and we know how to choose from him additional targets and to attack them if necessary.
"I can now confirm that we have completed the Israeli response to Iran's attacks against Israel. We have carried out targeted and precise attacks against military targets in Iran - and thwarted immediate threats to the State of Israel. The IDF's mission has been completed." If the regime in Iran makes the mistake and starts a new round of escalation - We will be obliged to respond. Our message is clear: anyone who threatens the State of Israel and strives to drag the region into a wider escalation will pay a heavy price. We proved today that we have the ability to act decisively, and that we are ready, in attack and defense, to protect the State of Israel and the citizens of Israel."
The complex operation, which was approved by the cabinet, was conducted from the Air Force Base in Kirya in the presence of the Prime Minister, the Defense Minister, the Chief of Staff and the Air Force Commander. Defense Minister Yoav Galant and Chief of Staff Hartzi Halevi were at the Kiriya base in Tel Aviv at the time of the attack. According to a senior Israeli official, the Defense Political Cabinet confirmed the attack in a telephone conference call last night.
The IDF published the communications from the moments of the attack in Iran of the commander of the Air Force, Colonel Tomer Bar and Lt. Colonel Sh. the commander of Squadron 201. The commander of the Air Force: "The historic action you carried out tonight proved - there is no enemy that is too far away." Another piece of history was recorded in the attack: the women of the Air Force's fighter squadron team participated in an attack on an F-16 plane, an attack that included dozens of fighter planes.
In recent weeks, the Air Force had carried out many exercises for a long-range attack, including a flight with several buildings, when the planes were refueled on the way to the destination. According to the practice, the planes had various types of armaments, with some of them carrying bombs and interception missiles for the purpose of securing the planes in the air and the possibility of conducting air battles. According to past experience from the IDF attacks in Yemen, many squadrons participated in the attack with a variety of aircraft, when each aircraft has different capabilities according to its missions. Among the planes: F-35, F-16 and F-15.
Israeli fighter jets were operating hours in Syrian and Iraqi air space without a single loss. The Russian-made air defense systems S-300/S-400 completely failed in detecting them,let alone fending them off. An Israeli source told the Wall Street Journal: Iran had four S-300 air defense batteries, which he said are the most advanced systems in Iran's air defense system. During the Israeli attack on Iran at the weekend all these systems were destroyed. According to the NASA FIRMS monitoring resource, the MIM-23 Hawk medium-range air defense system position area southwest of Tehran was hit.
If the identification of the affected targets is correct, then Israel has thus indicated that it is potentially capable of disabling Iranian air defense systems and striking key Iranian defense industry facilities without harming its own aircraft.
Operation Days of Repentance 1 - Israeli Response
Israeli Kan 11's political affairs commentator, Gili Cohen, reported on the initial political reactions to the attack on Iran, highlighting a harsh criticism from opposition leader Yair Lapid. The chairman of the opposition, Yair Lapid, published a statement in which he wrote, among other things: "Congratulations to the Air Force for once again demonstrating its operational capabilities the highest in the world and its aerial superiority." At this point, Lapid went on to criticize the government when he wrote: "Israel's enemies know this morning that the IDF is strong and can attack powerfully and reach anywhere. The decision not to attack strategic and economic targets in Iran was wrong. We could and should have exacted a much heavier price from Iran. Iran is the head of the axis of evil, and must pay a heavy price for its aggression."
The chairman of "Israel Beitenu" Avigdor Lieberman continued in the same line and wrote: "The action of the Air Force in Iran brought to light the impressive capabilities of the IDF and the highest professionalism of our pilots." Lieberman then moved to a critical tone towards the government and wrote: "But along with this success, we cannot ignore the difficult reality and that the Iranians will not stop here. They will continue their efforts to obtain nuclear weapons and they will continue to transfer the funds from the sale of oil and gas to Hezbollah, the Houthis, and the militias Shi'ism and various proxies". Lieberman concluded: "Unfortunately, it seems that instead of collecting a real price, the Israeli government is once again content with showmanship and public relations. Buying silence instead of a clear decision. It's time to act in a way that reflects our strength, not just talk about it."
The chairman of the Democrats Yair Golan expressed hope that the Israeli attack is a "closing response" and not an opening response. Golan wrote this morning: "The American pressure worked, or the voice of military logic worked for a change, but as things currently stand there is a great potential that the Israeli response damaged the capabilities Iran's defensiveness and offensiveness, but without dragging us into a certain war of attrition, which is not within the scope of Israel's security and national interests. A 'closing response' and not an 'opening response' is what Israel needs, and if things progress this way, we can return to the most important thing that the Israeli government refuses to deal with: the hostage release deal."
Benny Gantz, leader of Israel’s National Unity Party, says the strikes on targets inside Iran had a meaningful impact. “The direct and significant attack across Iran tonight against defence industries and military targets is important in itself, and in its execution method,” he said in a post on X. “It constitutes a new phase in our war against Iran that lays a foundation for further actions.
“I want to emphasise – a year after the war’s beginning the campaign is far from over. We must continue persevering in the efforts to bring our hostages home, replace the Hamas regime, and continue degrade Hezbollah’s capabilities to create a new reality on our northern border that will enable our citizens to return home and live in safety.” Gantz lauded Israel’s “security superiority” in the region, which he said was built “together with its partners, led by the US”.
In a post on X, the far-right Israeli national security minister says the attack on Iran is a “necessary first strike against Iran’s strategic assets”. “This is my position and I will continue to present it in the relevant forums. We have a historic obligation to eliminate the Iranian threat to destroy Israel,” Ben-Gvir added.
Some Israeli media outlets cast doubt on the effectiveness of the recent Israeli attack on Iran, describing it as a largely symbolic move that failed to achieve any significant strategic goals. Reports from Kan and other sources highlighted a growing sense of dissatisfaction within "Israel" regarding the operation's limited impact. Arab Affairs correspondent Roy Kays suggested that if he were in [Sayyed Ali] Khamenei's position, he would get back to sleep and assess the situation regarding the attack on Iran the following morning.
The recent attack on Iran was largely a showoff that failed to achieve any strategic objectives, as per Israeli media. Furthermore, media reports suggested that the limited response to Iran was politically motivated, designed to reassure Prime Minister Netanyahu's supporters that action had been taken. Israeli media figure Rami Yitzhar, once a senior officer in the Israeli military police, believed that the attack on Iran, which he described as "minuscule and weak,” was a political trick by Netanyahu to show his supporters that he had done something against Tehran.
Commenting on the “explosive" statement of the Israeli army spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, about the attack, Yitzhar said it was “to some extent full of elements of false self-glorification, but his (Hagari’s) body language proves that he understands that it was just a show” and that “the sole purpose of this action was political: to show Netanyahu’s voters that we did something, and that is all.”Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that former Mossad Intelligence Division chief Brigadier General (Res.) Amnon Sofrin warned that Iran possesses the capability to launch a highly potent operation against "Israel".
Member of Knesset Tali Gottlieb called the nature of the attack "a cry for generations": "Not attacking Iran's nuclear facilities will be a cry for generations. Not attacking Iran's oil reserves is a grave mistake. Iran paralyzed our country by firing missiles into all Israeli territories! We missed an opportunity to weaken for many years the chances of Iran to become a nuclear power. Attacking military facilities does not change the balance of terror in the Middle East. An attack that we can, and we can, had better be rejected! They will say that we destroyed Iran's ballistic missile system in one attack. Unfortunately, this is a surrender to the Biden administration that does not think about the interests of Israel Friday? Good news for the people of Israel. With God's blessing to our fighters on the various fronts who are fighting fiercely for our safety and resilience and in the process for the return of all our abductees."
Criticism has also arisen from within Prime Minister Netanyahu's coalition. Knesset member Tali Gottlieb from the Likud party remarked that failing to target Iranian nuclear facilities would lead to regret for generations to come. She labeled the choice not to attack Iranian oil reserves as a "grave mistake", emphasizing that Iran has jeopardized Israeli security by launching missiles across the entity. "We squandered the chance to undermine Iran's potential to become a nuclear power for many years," Gottlieb contended. Israeli media have reported that reactions to the recent Israeli attack on Iran include skepticism from the Arab world, where commentators suggest that "they are laughing at us." The reports emphasized a prevailing belief that the true implications of the situation will become clearer over time.
Chief of Staff Hertzi Halevi said in an assessment of the situation in Kirya with the members of the General Staff Forum after the IDF attack in Iran: "Our message is very clear - and it is also connected to things that have happened throughout the Middle East in recent months - we can attack any threat, anywhere and at any time. We only used some of the capabilities. We hit strategic formations in Iran. It seems that things are developing, ready for all scenarios."
Ronen Bergman, the military-security journalist, announced that based on the evaluations, Iran's attack in retaliation for Israel's recent action is definite. "Ronen Bergman told CNN this morning that the initial assessment in Israel, based on intelligence and public statements, is that Iran will respond to the Israeli attack on Saturday," wrote Jason Brodsky, policy director of the Alliance Against a Nuclear Iran project on Channel X. It should be noted that Bergman is a journalist, writer and an analyst of Israeli military-security affairs who writes in newspapers such as Yediot Aharonot and Haaretz. He is also the author of some security books for Israel.
In a report referring to the possibilities of Iran's response to Israel's attack on November 5, Hillel Beyton Rosen, the military reporter of Israel's Channel 14, said: "The assessment in Israel is that after controlling the damage and understanding the cost of the damage caused by the attack on Friday and Saturday night - "Iran will be willing to respond and so we are preparing."
In a message on the X social network, Kan Israel correspondent Amichai Setin wrote: "Informed American sources tell me that the United States estimates that Iran could still respond with the same force as before - that is, fire hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel." Meanwhile, the US assessment is that the damage to the missile production capacity will affect the nature of Iran's possible response.
Israeli sources reported that the cabinet meetings were moved to another place for security reasons. The newspaper Yediot Aharonot reported that the cabinet meeting was moved to a safe place, which is not in the former office of the cabinet or in the headquarters of the Ministry of War.
Raz Zimet, senior researcher at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies and analyst at the Alliance Center for Iran Studies at Tel Aviv University: Iran's threat level is increasing in response to Israel's attack. Regarding the decision on the response, the statements of the President of the Medes (Iran is not interested in war, but will respond in an appropriate attack), Speaker of the Parliament Qalibaf ("the response will be decisive according to the requirements"), and Salami, the commander of the IRGC, show Iran's commitment to respond in particular. Given the five deaths in the attack (four soldiers and one civilian), though not necessarily, they raise the urgency again.
In a letter to Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's Defense Minister Gallant stated: "The war is going on without a direction finder, the exchange of blows with Iran increases the need to update the goals of the war." The situation in which we are doing without a compass and without updating the objectives of the war hurts the management of the headquarters and the decisions of the cabinet. In numerous speculations, the Israeli media talk about the possibility of Gallant's dismissal. In this regard, Al Israel News had a report entitled: Will Gallant be replaced? Earlier, reports indicated that Netanyahu was planning to replace Gallant with Gideon Saar, who recently joined the coalition as a minister without a post.
Operation Days of Repentance 1 - US Response
US President Joe Biden expressed his hope that Israeli attacks against Iran are “the end”, adding Israel gave him a heads-up before the strikes. “I was on with the intelligence community for the last half hour. It looks like they didn’t hit anything other than military targets. I hope that this is the end,” Biden told the reporters. The United States and other countries responded to Israel’s strikes by calling for an end to the cycle of confrontation between Israel and Iran, which threatens to explode the Middle East into further violence.
Israel's "response was an exercise in self-defence and specifically avoided populated areas and focused solely on military targets, contrary to Iran's attack against Israel that targeted Israel's most populous city", National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett told reporters, stressing that the United States did not participate in the operation. "It is our aim to accelerate diplomacy and de-escalate tensions in the Middle East region," he said.
The White House conducted a briefing on background, attributable to a senior administration official. "Israel carried out a direct military response against Iran. Specifically, Israel conducted precision airstrikes against multiple military targets across Iran and outside populated areas. The United States was not a participant in this military operation. The President and his national security team, of course, worked with the Israelis over recent weeks to encourage Israel to conduct a response that was targeted and proportional with low risk of civilian harm, and that appears to have been precisely what transpired this evening.
"The President discussed the overall situation with Prime Minister Netanyahu last week. He encouraged the Prime Minister to design a response that served to deter further attacks against Israel while reducing risk of further escalation. And that is our objective; it’s Israel’s objective, as well, as they have stated this evening. Should Iran choose to respond, we are fully prepared to once again defend against any attack. We recently deployed a THAAD battery, which is a ballistic missile defense system, to Israel. And we have worked to strengthen Israel’s air defense systems in the run-up to tonight’s response.
"President Biden and Vice President Harris have demonstrated clearly that we will always help defend Israel and secure its people and territory from Iran and its proxy terrorist groups. If Iran chooses to respond once again, we will be ready, and there will be consequences for Iran once again. However, we do not want to see that happen. This should be the end of this direct exchange of fire between Israel and Iran. Israel has made clear to the world that its response is now complete.....
"We do have multiple channels with Iran, direct and indirect. We try to avoid any sense of miscommunication. And they know exactly what our position is on multiple issues, including the dangers and risks of their course of conduct, particularly the launching of 200 ballistic missiles focusing primarily on densely populated areas in Israel’s most populated city, which also includes tens of thousands of Americans. That is totally unacceptable. We will not accept it. We will support Israel defending itself."
In the day after the Israeli attack, the American administration said that they did not have to convince Israel too much to change the attack plans, and in fact there was no significant debate on the issue of targets. A source in the American administration told news that in the days leading up to the Israeli attack, the American message was: "Attack to achieve deterrence - but not to cause another round." The officials in the Biden administration also recommended not to "create harm to civilians", but that there be a "significant" attack.
A senior official in the White House warned after the attack : "If Iran retaliates again, we will be ready and there will be a price," the official clarified that "this should be the end of the conflict, Israel has made it clear that it has ended the attack and this should be the end of the direct military conflict between Israel and Iran. From our point of view, the Israeli response should end the affair". The source also stated that US President Joe Biden and his team encouraged Israel to respond in a targeted manner without civilian harm. Biden encouraged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in their conversation to plan a response that would deter, but prevent further escalation. Also, Biden, Kamala and Harris made it clear that they will always protect Israel from Iran and its close organizations.
Operation Days of Repentance 1 - Arab Response
'The UAE expressed deep concern over the continued escalation and its repercussions on regional security and stability'. In a statement on its website, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote: “The UAE expressed deep concern over the continued escalation and its repercussions on regional security and stability.”
Saudi Arabia condemned Israeli strikes on Iranian military sites. “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its condemnation and denunciation of the military targeting of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is a violation of its sovereignty and a violation of international laws and norms,” read a social media post by Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Jordan said the strikes were "in violation of international law and (Iran's) sovereignty, and a dangerous escalation that leads to more tension in the region".
Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) called the Israeli attacks on Iran face-saving “political theatre”. “The highly orchestrated Israeli attacks on Iran – with targets pre-negotiated with Iran by the US – appear to have been nothing more than political theatre to allow Israel to save face while relying on Iran to act responsibly not to escalate this war further,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, DAWN’s executive director. “The Biden administration’s claims of victory that its newest THAAD carrots to curb even greater Israeli belligerence really only begs the question of why the US needs to constantly curry favour with an unhinged, bellicose government,” she said in a statement.
Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani expressed “grave concern” over possible consequences of Israeli strikes on Iran. A readout by the Qatari foreign ministry said during a call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Sheikh Mohammed condemned the Israeli attack on Iran calling it a “violation of its sovereignty and to the principles of international law”.
Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abd Elati spoke on the phone with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araqchi. Media in Egypt said that Abdel Elati emphasized the need to prevent escalation, to take steps to bring calm and not to drag the region into a regional war - which would have devastating consequences for the peoples of the region.
Operation Days of Repentance 1 - Iranian Response
The "Days of Repentance" operation in Iran may not change the strategic balance between Israel and Iran, but it set an important precedent for a future attack on the nuclear facilities. Israel significantly damaged the air defense system and the ballistic missile production capacity and prepared the ground for further attacks. The immediate result of the Israeli attack on Iran is that Iran is now much more exposed to Israeli air attacks without any real ability to defend against them after Israel significantly attacked its air defense system.
In order to prevent an escalation in the conflict, the political echelon decided to give up on oil facilities and nuclear facilities - and focus on military goals only. The strength of the choice is in presenting the quality of the intelligence the IDF has on the Iranians, and conveying a strong message that indicates the IDF's capabilities in future strikes. The attack sharpened Israeli air superiority against the technology in Tehran's service.
Israel relayed a warning to Iran through several third parties ahead of its missile strike against the Islamic Republic on Saturday, Axios has reported, citing three anonymous sources. According to the media outlet, West Jerusalem indicated what type of targets it would attack, while cautioning Tehran against retaliating. Israel relayed a warning to Iran through several third parties ahead of its missile strike against the Islamic Republic, Axios reported, citing three anonymous sources. According to the media outlet, West Jerusalem indicated what type of targets it would attack, while cautioning Tehran against retaliating.
The coordinated explanatory effort evident in the media in the Islamic Republic dwarfed Israel's night attack on Iran • Only a few minutes after the first reports of the explosions, the Iranian media began an extensive media campaign: the Tasnim agency denied the reported injuries, and documents were circulated that supposedly show life in Tehran quickly returning to normal. The official Iranian media has been working since the beginning of the night attack in a concerted effort to downplay the importance of the events. The Tasnim news agency, which is affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, led the line of denial regarding reports of damage to Revolutionary Guards bases in the Tehran area, denying them emphatically.
Within minutes of the start of the attack, the official and state media in Iran began a coordinated media campaign. They have released documents they claim show life in Tehran quickly returning to normal, in what appears to be an attempt to reassure the local population. The Iranian media insisted that the explosions heard throughout the city resulted solely from the activity of the air defense systems, and confidently claimed that all the missiles launched in the attack were successfully intercepted.
Referring to the "Zionist sources" claims about attacking military targets, the broadcaster emphasized that these have not yet been confirmed by official military officials. In an effort to emphasize the routine, the managers of the main airports in Tehran, "Khomeini" and "Mehr-Abad", were quoted, who claimed that the activity in them continues as usual. The head of information in the Iranian government even went above and beyond when he called on citizens to "refrain from participating in the media and rumor game of the Zionist regime", in what appears to be an attempt to prevent the spread of uncontrolled information on social networks.
In Tehran and elsewhere across the country, life mostly continued as normal, the first day of the working week in Iran. Traffic was normal in different areas of the capital and other affected cities. Some people, however, were caught up in the immediate effect of the sense of danger and uncertainty due to an attack on the country, which has not seen all-out war on its soil since neighboring Iraq invaded it in the 1980s.
Western intelligence sources estimate that the conservative wing in Iran, led by the "Revolutionary Guards", as well as Iran's affiliates in the Middle East will exert heavy pressure on Iran's supreme leader to respond to the Israeli attack in order to maintain its dignity and deterrent power. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ordered to hide the damage caused by the Israeli attack and to present "business as usual" to the outside in order to hide the Iranian embarrassment and humiliation after Iran had pledged before the Israeli attack to respond immediately with force to any Israeli attack.
Israel did not reveal the results of the attack, avoiding embarrassing Iran and mocking it, thus building the ladder by which Iran can climb down and not attack Israel. Sources familiar with the matter said that there was very significant damage to the S-300 battery radars placed around Tehran, and considerable damage to Iran's ballistic missile production system. An Israeli source said that sites Some of the Iranian industrial plants were damaged, but the examination of the damage is still ongoing.
But satellite images released after the Israeli attack on Iran showed direct hits on Iran's secret base in Parchin, about 30 kilometers east of Tehran. In recent years, the secret Iranian base has been called a "security facility", where research and development of missiles and suicide drones are carried out, among other things. In the past, the base was used to carry out experiments in the nuclear field.
It was reported in the "Washington Post" by a source familiar with the attack plan that it was designed so that the number of casualties would be as low as possible, and that its effect would be of a magnitude that would allow Iran to deny extensive damage, thus containing the attack. According to the source, the attack was on a larger scale than the one Israel carried out in Iran in April. A "Fox News" reporter reported that the Israeli attacks in Iran were intended to send a message of deterrence, and to keep the current conflict contained. The reporter also reported that he was told that Israel was prepared in case Iran responded with another missile attack.
The reporter of the French newspaper "Le Figaro" reported that Israel may have warned Iran before the attack. He quoted a source close to Iran who said that he received a message yesterday from an Iranian source, who predicted Israel's attack. The source said that in his view, Israel carried out the minimal attack it could carry out.
The Iranian General Staff announced in a statement that Israeli fighters used Iraqi airspace controlled by the US military while bombing Iranian territory. The statement said: "The Zionist enemy's fighters used part of the Iraqi airspace that is under the control of the terrorist American army and launched long-range missiles against targets in the provinces of Tehran, Islam and Khuzestan." He added: "The enemy used air-to-ground missiles carrying very light warheads that do not exceed a fifth of the warheads used in Iranian ballistic missiles." He continued: "As a result of this aggression, some air defense systems were damaged and suffered limited losses. Some of them were repaired and work is underway to repair others. Some missiles were intercepted and fighters were prevented from entering the country's airspace."
According to an Iranian report, the air defense systems intercepted a large part of the missiles, and some of them hit military installations. The report also claimed that the attack "did not reach the level of the Israeli threats", and did not affect Iranian capabilities. Tehran announced the death of two soldiers in the Iranian army, who belonged to the air defense system. The soldiers are Muhammad Mehdi Shahrahi and Hamza Jahandid, who had a rank equivalent to a sergeant. Mohammad Marandi, a conservative political analyst close to the government in Tehran, said that "we expect much more severe attacks and we are equipped to win the war against Israel.
The Iranian army published a statement in which it referred to the Israeli attack on its territory - and called for a cease-fire in Gaza and Lebanon: "Iran reserves the legal and legitimate right to respond in time". It was claimed "In some places the damage has been repaired". Regarding the question of Iran's response to the Israeli attack, a report was received on Sky News in Arabic which claims: "Iran conveyed a message through a foreign intermediary that it will not respond to the attack".
The Air Defense Base issued a statement on Saturday, saying that the criminal, illegitimate and fake regime of Israel in a move to escalate tensions launched attacks on some military sites in the provinces of Tehran, Khuzestan and Ilam in the early hours of today. Iran’s air defenses intercepted and successfully confronted the acts of aggression, it said, adding that some limited damage was caused in some areas, the dimensions of which are being investigated. The statement urged people to maintain unity and calm and ignore rumors spread by the enemy media.
An "informed source" dismissed the Israeli regime’s claim that it has struck 20 spots across Iran. The informed source told Tasnim on Saturday that the Israeli army’s claim that it has targeted 20 locations across Iran is untrue, noting that the number of locations targeted by the enemy is significantly lower than that. The source added that the action by the Zionists has been taken from outside the Iranian border and has caused limited damages. The source also confirmed a previous report from Tasnim that none of the military centers of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps in Tehran has been targeted. “The reports alleging that 100 Israeli military planes have had a role in the strike are also complete lies, as Israel is seeking to overplay its weak attack,” the source added.
The spokeswoman for the Iranian government claimed this morning that "the Israeli attack caused limited damage," and added: "We are proud of the capabilities of the air defense systems. The situation in the country remains normal." A resident of Tehran told news here that in the Iranian capital there is indeed a routine today. According to him, the businesses are open and the education frameworks are working. He added that "many expected a very significant attack by Israel" and that "since the attacks were targeted, many did not hear them during the night." A spokesman for the Tehran oil refining company said this morning that the company's facilities were not among the targets of Israel's airstrikes tonight. This was reported in "Iran International." "There was no attack on the refinery facilities, and production in the refinery units continues as usual," he told the media.
The Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) and the Islamic Jihad condemned the Israeli attack on Iran , and considered it a blatant violation of Iran's sovereignty and an escalation targeting the security of the region. Hamas said that the Israeli attack on military sites in Iran was based on military and political cover from the US administration and some Western capitals. Hamas affirmed its solidarity with Iran in the face of what it described as Israeli arrogance, and praised Tehran's support for the Palestinian cause.
For its part, the Islamic Jihad Movement said that the Israeli attack on Iran is a serious threat to the security of Arab and Islamic countries, and comes in the context of international silence and Western complicity in the Israeli aggression in Gaza and Lebanon. PIJ stressed that the attack is trying to break the resistance in the region, noting that it will fail. For its part, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine affirmed its support for Iran's right to self-defense in the face of Israeli aggression. PFLP pointed out that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to exaggerate the results of the aggression against Iran to please his audience, stressing that the resistance will not be defeated.
According to Khabaronline news agency, Iran's reform front, in a statement condemning Israel's attack on Iran , did not consider it to the extent that it had been advertised for several weeks, and did not consider it to be the response to the spectacular operation of the promise of Sadegh2, and emphasized that the initiative is now in the hands of Iran's statesmen. According to ISNA, the text of the statement of Iran's reform front is as follows:
"The Saturday night attack by the unbridled Israeli regime on a number of Iranian military centers, although it caused damages and led to the martyrdom of several soldiers of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, was never to the extent that was advertised for several weeks, and the response to the spectacular operation was not as promised by Sadegh2. Therefore, at the level of public opinion, it is considered a failure for the Zionist occupation regime. This privileged position for Iran has been nothing but the result of Iran's military deterrence and the effective and efficient use of diplomatic tools by the current government."
The General Staff of the Armed Forces wrote in a statement in response to the Israeli attack: "The Islamic Republic of Iran, while reserving its right to respond legally and legitimately at the appropriate time, emphasized the establishment of a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon to prevent the killing of the helpless and oppressed people. "The Zionist enemy planes, in an open aggression and contrary to international laws, this morning, Saturday, November 5, using the space at the disposal of the American terrorist army in Iraq, one hundred kilometers from the borders of Iran, and from a distance, a number of long-range airborne missiles that have many warheads. About one-fifth of Iranian ballistic missile warheads were fired towards some border radars in the provinces of Ilam, Khuzestan and around Tehran province.
"In this illegitimate and illegal action, with the readiness of the country's air defense, a significant number of missiles have been tracked and intercepted, and enemy planes have been prevented from entering the country's airspace. The Islamic Republic of Iran, while reserving its legal and legitimate right to respond at the appropriate time, emphasizes the establishment of a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon to prevent the killing of the helpless and oppressed people. The terrorist and criminal government of America, which plays a central role in supporting the criminal actions of the Zionist regime in disrupting the security of the region, is warned to prevent the spread of conflict and insecurity in the region and the killing of innocent people, especially in Gaza and Lebanon."
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in a meeting with thousands of respected families of security martyrs 27 October 2024, called these martyrs among the top martyrs of the path of justice. "Security is the foundation of all means and ways of progress of the country and the nation, and the value of the life preservers of security and the proud martyrs of this arena in " Police force, Basij, IRGC, army and intelligence collections", one should understand the importance and irreplaceable value of security." Ayatollah Khamenei called national power the only way to be safe in Iran and added: "To secure the country and society and progress Iran, we must be strong in all economic, scientific, defense, political, managerial and other aspects and become stronger every day."
Khamenei warned against either exaggerating or minimizing the impact of Israeli's October 26 retaliatory strikes against Iran. Khamenei described the strikes as a "miscalculation" by Israel. However, while he called on government officials to "understand the capability" Iran had, he stopped short of calling for an Iranian response that would extend the series of tit-for-tat strikes between the two archfoes. "Of course, they are exaggerating," he said in reference to Israel, which said it successfully carried out "targeted and precise" strikes on military sites. "Exaggerating them is wrong, but minimizing them is also wrong," Khamenei said, adding that Iran cannot just say that "it was nothing, it didn't matter."
"It is up to the authorities to determine how to convey the power and will of the Iranian people to the Israeli regime," he said, "and to take actions that serve the interests of this nation and country."
The IRGC announced that it is a criminal offense to send “images or news” related to the attack to outlets that it deems "Israel-affiliated" or "hostile”. Usually, Iran refers to Western media as hostile.
The advisor and assistant of the Supreme Leader of the Revolution said in a gathering of selected members of the National Elite Foundation: The authoritative defense of the country's airspace has once again shown the scientific ability and power of Iranian youth to the world. In this meeting, which lasted for more than two hours, Mohammad Mokhbar, advisor and assistant to the Supreme Leader of the Revolution, emphasized the special role of the elites in speeding up the development of the country and creating a promising vision for the future of Iran, and added: What keeps the elites in the country It is possible for them to feel that they are effective in solving problems and challenges and that it is possible to implement their ideas for the development of the country.
Referring to the cowardly and criminal attack of the Zionist regime on our country and the success of the brave men of Iran's defense in repelling these attacks, the advisor and assistant of the supreme leader of the revolution said: "The elites have shown their scientific power to the world by protecting Iran's airspace." This success is the result of the presence of elite, scientific and brave youth in Iran's missile program and defense force.
Enumerating the signs of decline and decline of the occupied Jerusalem regime, he stated: The Zionists have violated all the red lines and international protocols. Zionists kill women and children, destroy people's houses, attack schools and hospitals and use weapons of mass destruction, all these atrocities stem from the weakness of this regime.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that his country had received "signals" before Israel's attack on Iranian military sites, a claim denied by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Iranian minister said, according to what was reported by the IRNA news agency: "We received signals, on Friday afternoon, that it is possible" that Israel will launch an attack on Iran, noting that "messages were exchanged with several parties before the attack, and we were in continuous coordination with our armed forces." Araghchi sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General and the President of the UN Security Council, "calling for an urgent meeting of the Security Council to take a decisive stance in condemning this aggression," in reference to the Israeli strikes, according to a statement issued by his ministry, and reported by France Presse.
Axios also reported , citing three informed sources, that Israel sent a message to Iran on Friday, before the retaliatory attack, warning the Iranians against responding. The Israeli message was conveyed to the Iranians through several third parties. One source said the Israelis had made clear to the Iranians in advance what they would generally target, and what they would not target. Two other sources said that Israel warned the Iranians against responding to the recent attack, and stressed that if Iran retaliated, Israel would carry out another, larger attack, especially if Israeli civilians were killed.
Netanyahu's office denied reports that Israel had warned Iran through third parties, and that it had given a general indication of what it would and would not target, according to The Times of Israel. The office said a report published on the Israeli Walla news site was "false and absurd." It added: "Israel did not notify Iran before the attack, neither about the timing, nor about the targets, nor about the scope of the attack."
The Zionist regime’s recent strike on Iran resulted in minor damages, all of which have been repaired, Defense Minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh said. Addressing an event at the National Defense University of Iran here, General Nasirzadeh said Iran repaired damage immediately by employing its domestic know-how and scientific power. He said foreign countries would have never helped Iran fix the damage if the Islamic Republic had not developed domestic capabilities.
Nasirzadeh, Minister of Defense and Support of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who was present at the opening ceremony of the new academic year of non-Iranian students of the Higher National Defense University, among non-Iranian students and a number of foreign military dependents living in Tehran, referring to the verse He said: The Qur'an has advised us to prepare and become powerful by any means, that one of the powers is scientific power, and any country that has scientific power is superior to others.
He added: Sometimes this scientific power is used in the direction of evil through global arrogance, but if this scientific power is in the hands of believing and justice-seeking people, it will be used in the direction of the superiority of good and fight against oppression.
The Minister of Defense and Support of the Armed Forces, referring to the presence of the United States in the extreme points of the world, including in the South China Sea and the provocation of Taiwan, the straits and international waterways such as the Bab al-Mandab strait, as well as in the war between Russia and Ukraine, stated: these presences and interventions are in the direction of the unilateralism of the United States. in the world, therefore, justice-seeking countries, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, should focus on their commonalities and strengthen them by taking advantage of scientific power; Therefore, in these classrooms, study, research and brainstorm on commonalities and factors of convergence, which are many.
In another part of his speech, Amir Nasirzadeh pointed out that the Zionist regime has violated all the international laws that are apparently established for human rights and justice, and stated: In the recent aggression of the Zionist regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran, we suffered minor damage. which we repaired and replaced immediately by using our own scientific knowledge and power, while if this power due to science was in the hands of others, we would never have been allowed to do this.
Iranian official and unofficial media, specifically agencies close to the Revolutionary Guards , described the Israeli attack on the country as a failure and confirmed its frustration, which placed expectations regarding the next stage in the context of a kind of calm or de-escalation and stopping the cycle of response and counter-response between Tehran and Tel Aviv. Iran confirms that its air defense systems confronted all targeting attempts in the provinces of Tehran, the north of the country, Khuzestan in the southwest, and Ilam in the west of the country. Former Revolutionary Guards commander Hussein Kanaani Moqaddam believes that what the Israeli entity did at dawn today is much less than what Iran did in Operation “True Promise 2,” but this does not mean that Iran will not respond, stressing that it will respond to the Israeli attack with many times the attack it received. He told Al Jazeera Net that the United States is afraid, and this is what prompted it to say that it did not help Israel in this operation, but Iran was assured that Washington had a role, and therefore all of the United States’ bases in the region are now within the Iranian target bank.
Kanaani Moghaddam added that if it becomes clear that any of the regional countries' airspace is being used for this operation, the Islamic Republic will deal with those countries. The former leader of the Revolutionary Guards considered that what Israel did was not surprising, as it announced more than once that it would target nuclear sites and oil and gas sites, recalling the statement of their army spokesman who said that they would attack Iran with all their forces, and therefore if this is all their forces, this means that the entity is in a state of weakness and is on the verge of disappearing. He concluded that "the targeted sites are military headquarters that cannot be classified as important or sensitive, and the entity tried to target our defense systems, and focused its operation on targeting radar systems, and failed to do so."
So far, there is no comprehensive Iranian narrative about the nature of the Israeli attack, and information about the details is scarce with unofficial news circulating. In this context, political science professor Mustafa Najafi denied that any fighter jets entered Iranian airspace, adding that the attack was carried out by firing from outside Iranian territory. "It seems that Iran was aware of the time of the attack and was not surprised. The attack was not as widespread and dangerous as the Israeli authorities had previously threatened, but Iran does not ignore it easily and reserves the right to respond, considering that it is the first official attack by Israel on Iranian territory and a violation of the country's territorial integrity," he added in his interview with Al Jazeera Net.
Najafi did not see what could be interpreted as a lack of escalation between Iran and Israel at this stage, as he said that the attack could not mean the end of the direct conflict between Tehran and Tel Aviv, but rather means "the beginning of a more direct conflict with more serious consequences." He concluded by saying that the direct conflict between the two parties has entered a new phase as of today, and it is unlikely to stop at this point.
For his part, Mansour Barati, a professor of politics specializing in Israeli affairs, noted that Iran was prepared for the attack, despite Israel’s attempt in the previous days to continue the psychological war and maintain the element of surprise, but conflicting news from the other side increased Iran’s readiness for different scenarios. In his interview with Al Jazeera Net, he described the scene as complex, as the Iranian media portrays the operations as small, while the army announced the martyrdom of two of its members. Barati added that the weakness of the Israeli operation creates several possibilities for us regarding the next stage. The response may not have ended, and he explained that by the possibility that the Israeli response will be at different levels, and Israel may be preparing for another level of response, such as the security level, and this is what the coming days will reveal.
He ruled out that Iran and Israel would go towards a comprehensive war at this stage, as Iran does not want war and Israel is preoccupied with Lebanon, but this does not necessarily mean that the cycle of response and counter-response between Iran and Israel will stop.
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