Iran said Saturday (Oct 26) it had lost two soldiers to Israeli strikes on its military installations. In a statement released through state media, the Iranian government said, “The army of the Islamic Republic of Iran lost two of its fighters during the night when they faced projectiles from the criminal Zionist regime in defence of its territory.”
Earlier, the Israeli military said it was conducting “precise strikes on military targets in Iran” in response to what it said were “months of continuous attacks from the regime in Iran”. The strikes targeted military sites in Ilam, Khuzestan and Tehran provinces.
The Associated Press reported that it was the first time the Israeli military has openly attacked Iran.
Response from Iran
Iran said its defence system eliminated most of the projectiles fired by Israel but acknowledged “limited damage”, adding that it was “entitled and obligated” to defend itself.
Iran’s foreign ministry said in a statement that Tehran also “recognises its responsibilities towards regional peace and security”.
“Iran has the right and the duty to defend itself against foreign acts of aggression,” the foreign ministry said, citing Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, news agency AFP reported.
Global reactions
Reacting to the strikes by Israel, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned Iran against launching a counter-attack.
“On the question of the strikes, I think we need to be really clear that Israel does have the right to defend itself, but we are urging, and have been urging all sides to show restraint, and that is why I am very clear today, Iran should not be responding to this,” Starmer said.
Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas condemned Israel in a statement.
“We… condemn in the strongest terms the Zionist aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the targeting of military sites in several provinces”, the movement said in a statement, calling the move “a blatant violation of Iranian sovereignty and an escalation that threatens the security of the region”.
Pakistan too joined the anti-Israel bandwagon, saying the Jewish nation “bears full responsibility for the current cycle of escalation and expansion of the conflict.”
“The international community must also play its role for restoring regional peace and security,” Islamabad urged.
India on Saturday urged all parties in conflict-ridden West Asia to ‘exercise restraint’.
“We are deeply concerned by the evolving escalation in West Asia and its ramifications for peace and stability in the region and beyond. We reiterate our call to all concerned to exercise restraint and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy,” the Indian foreign ministry statement said.
(With inputs from agencies)
Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.