In the early hours of a day that marked a new chapter in tensions in the Middle East, Israel performed an attack against Iran as an act of retaliation. This Israeli intervention came in response to the previous Iranian attack, carried out with missiles and drones, which hit Israeli territory over the weekend. Israel's move, expected following official statements anticipating a possible response, did not fail to raise concerns at an international level.
The reaction of the international community was swift and varied. Australia immediately advised its citizens to leave Israel “as soon as possible”, citing the risk of attacks against the country and its interests in the region. The US Embassy in Israel also expressed concern by issuing a security advisory limiting the movement of its staff to specific areas, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, in an act of extreme caution.
Conflicting news is arriving from Iran on the consequences of the attack. Mehr News, a semi-official Iranian agency, reported that the situation a Esfahan, a city close to the attacks, remains “completely calm”. Similarly, Iranian state television sought to downplay the impact of the attack, but confirmed that the air defense system was activated following loud explosions heard in the area.
The episode also had significant repercussions on air transport: Iranian state media reported the temporary suspension of flights at Tehran's main airport, with airspace closed in response to the attack.
From a geopolitical point of view, the analysis of what happened suggests a situation of great complexity. Ian Bremmer, head of Eurasia Group, interpreted the Israeli action as an attempt to “de-escalate”, indicating that while necessary, Israel's response was measured to avoid further provocations.
The already delicate situation in Syria is facing new challenges following the Israeli raid, which included attacks in the Soueida region, targeting a Syrian army radar position.
The installations nuclear near Esfahan were declared “completely safe” after the activation of air defenses, thus allaying fears of a possible nuclear target. According to the NYT, a military base near Esfahan, in central Iran, was hit.