Behind Israel’s ‘precise strikes’ on military targets in Iran: ‘Over 100 jets, 2,000 km journey’

The Israeli military said Saturday it had launched “precise strikes on military targets in Iran.”

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Saturday announced that it has fulfilled its mission to strike military installations in Iran. The Saturday attack on Iran reportedly involved more than 100 aircrafts, including the advanced F-35 fighters, aimed at specifically covering military targets.

Following Iran's massive October 1 attack that launched approximately 200 missiles at Israel and forced citizens into bomb shelters, Israeli leaders spent weeks planning their response, promising that Iran would face consequences. The nature and scale of the retaliation had been under careful consideration by Israeli leadership.

The large-scale assault by Israel involved over 100 aircraft, including F-35 “Adir” stealth fighters, travelling approximately 2,000 kilometers, according to a report by The Jerusalem Post. Meanwhile, Iran's military said that Israeli strikes on the country targeted military bases in Ilam, Khuzestan and Tehran provinces, causing “limited damage.”

An operation of this magnitude likely started with initial waves attacking radar and air defense systems, paving the way for subsequent strikes on military installations, The Jerusalem Post report added further. Previously, a coordinated strike in Syria neutralized similar threats, preventing Iran from gaining insight into Israel’s plans.

The Israeli military said Saturday it had launched “precise strikes on military targets in Iran.” “The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since Oct 7… including direct attacks from Iranian soil,” Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm Daniel Hagari said.

“Like every other sovereign country in the world, the State of Israel has the right and the duty to respond,” he said. Later, in a different video, he confirmed that the strikes had concluded. “We conducted targeted and precise strikes on military targets in Iran — thwarting immediate threats to the State of Israel,” he said.

The US has backed the Israeli strikes as a legitimate act of self-defense, with the White House confirming prior notification from Israel but clarifying that US forces were not involved. National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett stated, “We recognise these targeted strikes as an act of self-defense in response to Iran’s recent missile attacks.”