Iran says it shot down Israel's attack, activates air defence

Iran media on Saturday said that the country’s air defence systems have been activated in central Tehran in response to the escalating attacks by Israel.

IMAGE: A general view of Tehran after several explosions were heard, on October 26, 2024. Photograph: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters

State news agency IRNA said that Iran has successfully shot down 'adversial targets' in the airspace around Tehran province.

Iranian state television noted hearing six loud sounds resembling explosions in parts of the capital, with the source of the noises currently unverified.

It reported an Iran military official as stating that the air defence systems were operated to foil attacks on three different locations near Tehran.

A security source informed IRNA that some of the sounds heard were due to air defence activity in Tehran, and the air defence successfully operated during this incident.

Iran also cancelled all flights until further notice due to escalating tensions and security concerns in West Asia, according to IRNA.

The spokesperson for Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation, Ja'far Yazerlou, stated on Saturday that flights on all routes have been cancelled until further notice.

On Saturday morning, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced that its military had conducted 'precise strikes' on Iranian military targets, around a month after Tehran launched around 200 ballistic missiles towards Israel.

"Right now, the Israel Defence Forces is conducting precise strikes on military targets in Iran," Israeli army spokesman Rear Admiral Danial Hagari said in a statement.

"I would like to inform you at this late hour that the IDF is currently conducting precision strikes against military targets in Iran. These operations are in response to the Iranian regime’s continued attacks against Israel in recent months and are being carried out under the direction of the political leadership.”

The IDF noted that the strikes are being conducted in response to 'relentless attacks' from Iran and its proxies since October 7, adding that Israel has the 'right and the duty to respond'.

The Israeli military said, "The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since October 7th -on seven fronts—including direct attacks from Iranian soil."

"Like every other sovereign country in the world, the State of Israel has the right and the duty to respond," it added.

The IDF stated its 'defensive and offensive capabilities are fully mobilised' and that it "will do whatever necessary to defend the State of Israel and the people of Israel.