Live updates: Israel vows to ‘escalate’ strikes on Iran

Israel warns Iran of expanded strikes after wave of attacks

Muhammad Asghar | GlobalBeat

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged on Monday to increase military pressure on Iran after Israeli forces launched a wave of strikes across the region overnight.

The Israeli leader told a parliamentary committee that strikes would “escalate” in response to what he described as Iranian aggression, according to officials present at the closed session.

Netanyahu spoke hours after Israel targeted multiple sites in Iran, Syria and Lebanon in what the military called a pre-emptive operation. Israel claimed it struck facilities that Iran planned to use for attacks against Israeli civilians.

Israeli fighter jets struck approximately 20 sites across Iran, Syria and Lebanon, the military announced. The attacks hit weapons depots, command centers and radar installations, according to the military statement.

The Iranian government confirmed strikes on several provinces but reported limited damage. State television showed footage of what it described as intact facilities in Isfahan and Tabriz.

Syrian state media reported Israeli strikes near Damascus and in southern Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, said 8 people died in the attacks.

The overnight strikes followed days of rising tensions after explosions damaged multiple sites in Iran. Iran blamed Israel for those incidents and vowed retaliation.

Israeli officials said the latest attacks aimed to prevent Iranian reprisals for previous Israeli strikes. The military claimed it destroyed most of Iran’s missile stockpile in Syria.

Regional powers condemned the Israeli strikes. Saudi Arabia called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and warned of regional instability, according to the foreign ministry statement.

Jordan closed its airspace to civilian flights as a security precaution. The civil aviation authority announced the closure would remain until further notice.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters that Israel’s actions threatened to ignite a wider conflict. He called for an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

The United States deployed additional warships to the eastern Mediterranean as a deterrent measure, the Pentagon confirmed. Officials said the move aimed to prevent escalation.

President Joe Biden briefed congressional leaders on the situation, according to officials. The White House urged restraint from all parties while reaffirming Israel’s right to self-defense.

European governments expressed concern about escalation. France called for an immediate de-escalation while Germany warned of catastrophic consequences for regional stability.

Oil prices jumped more than 4% in Asian trading on Tuesday. Brent crude reached $74 per barrel, its highest level since May, according to market data.

The Israeli shekel fell 1.2% against the dollar, reaching its lowest level in 3 years. The central bank announced measures to stabilize currency markets.

Background

Israel and Iran have engaged in a shadow war for years through proxy forces and alleged covert operations. Israeli officials have repeatedly warned they would not allow Iran to establish a military foothold in neighboring Syria.

The two countries have fought each other through allied militias but have rarely exchanged direct fire. Previous Israeli strikes in Syria targeted Iranian weapons shipments to Hezbollah, the Lebanese movement backed by Tehran.

Tensions escalated significantly after Iran’s nuclear facilities suffered unexplained explosions in recent weeks. Iran accused Israel of sabotage while Israel declined to comment on those incidents.

What’s Next

Israeli officials told reporters they expect Iranian retaliation within days. The military has raised its alert level and deployed additional air defense systems near major cities.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian is scheduled to address the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday regarding the Israeli strikes.