Israel Launches Retaliatory Attacks On Iranian Military Targets, Explosions Heard In Tehran

Israel launched multiple waves of missile attacks on Iran early Saturday, targeting military sites, Iranian and Israeli officials reported.

"In response to months of continuous attacks from the regime in Iran against the State of Israel – right now the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is conducting precise strikes on military targets in Iran," the IDF said in a video message.

Israeli aircraft targeted facilities that Iran used to make the missiles fired at Israel, and at surface-to-air missile sites, the Associated Press reported. Israel offered no immediate damage assessment. Iranian officials claimed the attacks resulted in only "limited damage," but that two soldiers had been killed in the attack, Iran's Al-Alam television reported.

Several explosions were heard just outside of Tehran, according to witnesses.

After the airstrikes, Iran's Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying Iran had a right to defend itself, and "considers itself entitled and obligated to defend against foreign acts of aggression."

Israel warned the United States ahead of the operation against Iran, a U.S. official confirmed with Reuters, adding that the U.S. was not involved in the strike.

On Oct. 1, Iran launched more than 200 ballistic missiles at Israel. Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted most of the incoming fire from two waves of attacks.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the ballistic missile attack on Israel came as a response for the IDF killing a Hezbollah leader and called it "legal."

Khamenei, 80, said the bombardment was the "minimum punishment" for Israel's crimes.

There are growing concerns that the direct strikes that Iran and Israel are carrying out directly on each other will escalate into a more widespread regional war.