Israel launched a series of airstrikes against Iran early Saturday, targeting military sites in response to a recent barrage of ballistic missiles fired by Iran earlier this month. Explosions were reported in Tehran, though Iranian officials claimed the strikes caused only “limited damage.”

The attack marks a significant escalation between the two adversaries, heightening tensions across the Middle East, where Iran-backed militant groups such as Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon are already engaged in conflicts with Israel. This is the first time Israel has openly targeted Iran with such an extensive military operation since the 1980s Iran-Iraq War.

According to the Israeli military, the strikes focused on “missile manufacturing facilities used to produce the missiles that Iran fired at the state of Israel over the last year,” as well as surface-to-air missile sites and additional aerial capabilities. The operation, which lasted for several hours, concluded just before dawn in Tehran.

Although Israel did not provide a damage assessment, Iranian military officials reported that the airstrikes hit military bases in the provinces of Ilam, Khuzestan, and Tehran, causing minimal damage.

The Biden administration had previously secured an assurance from Israel that it would refrain from targeting nuclear facilities or oil infrastructure, which would signify a more severe escalation.

In a statement, Israeli military spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said, “The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since Oct. 7, … 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.”

In response to the overnight strikes, the United States urged both countries to avoid further escalation, hoping to prevent additional retaliatory attacks between Israel and Iran.