DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Israel launched airstrikes early Saturday on what it described as military targets in Iran in retaliation for a ballistic missile assault on Oct. 1, officials said. There were no immediate reports of damage in the Islamic Republic.

The Israeli military described the attack as “precision strikes on military targets in Iran,” without immediately elaborating.

“The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have relentlessly attacked Israel since October 7 – on seven fronts – including direct attacks from Iranian soil,” an Israeli military statement said. “Like any other sovereign country in the world, the State of Israel has the right and duty to respond.”

The sound of explosions was heard in Tehran, the Iranian capital, with state media there initially acknowledging the explosions and saying some of the sounds came from air defense systems around the city.

A resident of Tehran told The Associated Press that at least seven explosions were heard, which shook the surrounding area. The resident spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

Meanwhile, Syrian state media described its air defenses as targeting “hostile targets” there as well.

Iran has launched two ballistic missile attacks on Israel in recent months amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, which began with Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel also launched a ground invasion of Lebanon.

The strike came just as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives back in the US after a tour of the Middle East, where he and other US officials had warned Israel to offer a response that would not further escalate the conflict from the region and exclude nuclear. sites from Iran.

White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement that “it is our understanding that Israel is conducting targeted strikes against military targets in Iran” and referred reporters to the Israeli government for more details on their operation.

Israel has vowed to hit Iran hard following a massive Iranian missile barrage on October 1. Iran said its dam was in response to the deadly Israeli attacks against his proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah and vowed to respond to any retaliatory strikes.

Israel and Iran have been bitter enemies since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Israel views Iran as its greatest threat, citing its leaders’ calls for Israel’s destruction, their support for anti-Israel militant groups, and the country’s nuclear program.

Israel and Iran have been locked in a shadow war for years. A suspected Israeli assassination campaign has killed top Iranian nuclear scientists. Iran’s nuclear facilities have been breached or sabotaged, all in mysterious attacks blamed on Israel. Meanwhile, Iran has been blamed for a series of attacks on shipping in the Middle East in recent years, which later turned into attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on shipping through the Red Sea corridor.

But since the October 7 Hamas attack, the battle has moved increasingly to the front. Israel has recently turned its attention to Hezbollah, which has since fired rockets into Israel the war in Gaza it started. During the year, a number of top Iranian military figures were killed in Israeli strikes in Syria and Lebanon.

Iran fired a barrage of missiles and drones at Israel last April after two Iranian generals were killed in an apparent Israeli airstrike in Syria on an Iranian diplomatic post. The rockets and drones caused minimal damage, and Israel – under pressure from Western countries to show restraint – responded with a limited strike.

But after Iran’s missile strike in early October, Israel promised a tougher response.