Israel unleashed a predawn airstrikes against military sites in Iran on Saturday, saying it targeted facilities used to make the missiles fired at Israel earlier this month along with surface-to-air missile locations.
The attack risks pushing the archenemies closer to all-out war at a time of spiraling violence across the Middle East, where militant groups backed by Iran — including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon — are already at war with Israel.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry says the total toll over the past year there is over 2,600 killed and 12,200 wounded. The fighting in Lebanon has driven 1.2 million people from their homes, including more than 400,000 children, according to the United Nations children’s agency. Israeli strikes have killed much of Hezbollah’s top leadership since fighting ramped up in September.
Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed over 42,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, who do not differentiate between militants and civilians. The Israel-Hamas war began after Hamas-led militants on Oct. 7, 2023, blew holes in Israel’s security fence and stormed in, killing some 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducting 250 others.
Harris, Trump address airstrikes during US presidential campaigns
On the campaign trail this weekend, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump briefly addressed Israel’s airstrikes on Iran military sites.
“Israel is attacking — we’ve got a war going on and she’s out partying,” Trump said at a rally in Michigan on Friday as Harris was holding an event with Beyoncé in Texas.
Meanwhile, Harris on Saturday called for “de-escalation and not an escalation of activities in that region.”
“I feel very strongly, we as the United States feel very strongly that Iran must stop what it is doing in terms of the threat that it presents to the region and we will always defend Israel against any attacks by Iran in that way,” she told reporters in Michigan.
Iran’s president warns against future attacks
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a statement posted to X, gave his condolences to the families of the four people, all with the military air defense, killed in srael’s first-ever open attack on Iran early Saturday. The president also warned against future attacks.
“Enemies of Iran should know these brave people are standing fearlessly in defense of their land and will respond to any stupidity with tact and intelligence,” Pezeshkian wrote.
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