Iran says it has a “right to self-defense” after Israeli attack as the US pushes for an end to missile exchanges

The attacks were condemned by other nations in the Middle East. Qatar and Saudi Arabia called the attack a “flagrant violation of Iran’s 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”. “Endangers the stability of the region.”

The IDF said the attacks were in response to “months of sustained attacks” by Iran and its allies in the region, the latest in a months-long interplay of response and retaliation.

On October 1, Iran fired a barrage of rockets into Israel, saying it was in retaliation for Israel's killing of the Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July and the assassination of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut in September along with a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander. This barrage caused little damage to the country.

The attacks The aim was to weaken the Iranian-backed Hamas and Hezbollah, with whom Israel has been waging serious wars in Gaza and Lebanon since October 2023.

They came after a tense exchange between Israel and Iran in April that began when Israel bombed an Iranian consular compound in the Syrian capital Damascus, killing commanders and advisers of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran responded to this attack with an unprecedented drone and missile fire against Israel. Israel responded with a limited attack on Iran that caused little damage.

Iran and Israel have been waging a shadow war for decades, which until last year was mostly waged with covert attacks or through Iranian proxies that include Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen and forces in Syria and Iraq.

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

While Iran has previously vowed to retaliate against any form of Israeli aggression, some believe the seemingly limited nature of the Israeli attack could potentially serve to end direct conflict between the two nations.

Michael Milshtein, director of the Palestinian Studies Forum at Tel Aviv University's Dayan Center, told NBC News on Saturday that Israel had given Iran a reason “not to respond,” which would further escalate tensions, adding that Israel defenses can withstand an attack, while the presence of American troops would also serve as a deterrent.

“At least for now, it seems that they have more reasons not to react very harshly,” he said, before expressing caution that it was still too early to assess the full extent of Israeli attacks.

Yossi Mekelberg, senior adviser to 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 denying the claim, they have the opportunity to say, 'This is done, the bill is settled.'”

Mekelberg added that the end of direct conflict with Iran, along with the assassination of leaders of the Iran-backed militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah, could create space to move from military actions “into the diplomatic, political sphere.”

“Whether Israel and Iran will think that way is another question,” he added.