The strikes drew condemnation from other Middle Eastern countries. Qatar and Saudi Arabia called the attack a “blatant violation of Iranian sovereignty,” while Iraq accused Israel of continuing its “aggressive policies.” Jordan, one of the US’s closest allies in the region, called the attacks a “dangerous escalation” that “threatens the stability of the region.”

The IDF said the strikes were in response to “months of sustained attacks” by Iran and its allies in the region, the latest in a cycle of response and retaliation that has been going on for months.

On October 1, Iran fired a barrage of rockets into Israel, which it said was in retaliation for the Israeli assassination of Hamas leader. Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July, as well as the assassination of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut in September, along with a senior commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. That barrage caused little damage to the country.

The murders The aim was to weaken Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah, with whom Israel has been engaged in heavy warfare in Gaza and Lebanon since October 2023.

They came after a tense exchange between Israel and Iran in April, which began when Israel bombed an Iranian consular complex in the Syrian capital Damascus, killing commanders and advisers of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran responded to that attack with a barrage of drones and missiles on Israel, which was unprecedented at the time. Israel retaliated with a limited attack on Iran, which caused little damage.

Iran and Israel have been engaged in a shadow war for decades, which until last year was largely fought with covert attacks or through Iranian allies including Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen and forces in Syria and Iraq.

U.S. defense officials told NBC News that Israel had informed their American counterparts in advance of Saturday’s attacks, but that the U.S. was not involved in the attack.

Although Iran had previously vowed to retaliate against any form of Israeli aggression, some believe the apparently limited nature of the Israeli attack could potentially serve as an end to direct conflict between the two nations.

Michael Milshtein, head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at the Tel Aviv University Dayan Center in Tel Aviv, told NBC News on Saturday that Israel has given Iran a reason “not to respond” in a way that further escalates tensions, adding admits that Israel has already shown its attitude. the defenses can withstand an attack, while the presence of American troops would also serve as a deterrent.

“It seems at this point that they at least have more reason not to respond in a very harsh manner,” he said, before cautiously expressing that it was too early to tell the full extent of Israeli attacks.

Yossi Mekelberg, a senior consulting fellow at Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa program, echoed Milshtein’s cautious optimism.

“The fact that Iran is downplaying the attack and what was hit is good news,” he told NBC News by phone. “By being dismissive about the damage, it gives them the space to say, ‘that’s done, the scores are being settled.'”

Mekelberg added that the end of any direct conflict with Iran, in addition to the killing of leaders of the Iranian-backed militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah, could create space to move from military action “to the diplomatic, political sphere.”

“Whether Israel and Iran will think this way is another matter,” he added.