Updated 03.42 | Published 01.18
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A number of loud explosions have shaken Tehran.
Israel stated last night that it is attacking military targets in Iran.
Early this morning, a second wave of attacks was carried out, according to CNN.
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full screen Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to avenge the Iranian robot attack. Photo: Pamela Smith/AP
Iran has been waiting almost a month for Israel’s response after the robot attacks.
Last night it came.
A number of loud explosions were heard just before 01:00 Swedish time in Iran’s capital Tehran and the nearby city of Karaj.
What caused the explosions was not initially officially announced.
But the television channel CNN quickly released the information that last night Israel began retaliation against Iran after the robot attack earlier in the month.
Then upwards of 200 robots were sent against Israel. The vast majority were shot down.
“Precise attack”
And at 01:30 Swedish time, the IDF, Israel’s defense force, confirmed that it had begun its previously announced revenge.
– Right now, the IDF is carrying out precise attacks against military targets in Iran, stated the defense force’s spokesperson Daniel Hagari in a video last night.
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full screenIDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari. Photo: AP
– Our offensive and defensive capacity is fully mobilized.
The US was briefed by Israel before the attack last night, but has not participated in the operation, the Pentagon said according to Reuters.
Iranian state media said overnight that the explosions heard in the capital are the anti-aircraft system activated to shoot down incoming robots.
Swore revenge
It is also stated that nothing is on fire in the capital after the explosions.
During the night, Iran’s Civil Aviation Authority announced that the country’s airspace is closed until Saturday morning.
CNN reports that four civilian aircraft were in the air heading away from Tehran around the same time Israel carried out its strikes on Iran.
At five o’clock on Saturday morning local time in Tehran, information came that Israel carried out a second wave of attacks against other places in the country, according to CNN.
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fullscreenIranian robots across the night sky towards Israel on October 1. Photo: Majdi Mohammed / AP
It was on October 1 that Iran carried out a massive robotic attack against Israel. The attack came after a series of Israeli attacks against senior officials from Iran and its collaborators in Hezbollah and Hamas.
Israel vowed to retaliate with attacks on Iranian targets.
Earlier this week, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Iran would “pay a heavy price” for trying to harm Israel.
Iran has repeatedly warned Israel that an attack on its territory will lead to stronger retaliation.