Israel’s First Open Attack on Iran Targets Missile Sites and Apparently Spares Oil and Nuclear Ones

ISRAEL – OCTOBER 26: (—-EDITORIAL USE ONLY MANDATORY CREDIT – ‘ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES (IDF) / HANDOUT’ – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS—-) A view of fighter jet being prepared ahead of Israeli army’s attack on Iran, on October 26, 2024 in Israel. (Photo by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel has attacked Iran with pre-dawn airstrikes in retaliation for the barrage of ballistic missiles the Islamic Republic fired on Israel earlier this month. It’s the first time Israel’s military has openly attacked Iran. Crucially, there is no indication that Iran’s oil or nuclear sites were struck. Iran insists the strikes caused only “limited damage,” and Iranian state-run media downplayed them. Taken together, the moves suggest at least for now that both countries are trying to avoid a more serious escalation. Still, the strikes risk pushing the archenemies closer to all-out war at a time of spiraling violence across the Middle East.