Middle East crisis live: Iran supreme leader says ‘it would be wrong to say Israeli attack did not matter’
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei makes first public comments since airstrikes on his country, saying attack ‘should not be exaggerated nor downplayed’
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World leaders have called for restraint after the first open Israeli airstrikes on Iran were launched in the early hours of Saturday.
The Israeli airforce struck about 20 military bases across Iran, including missile and drone manufacturing sites and air defence systems. Here is what we know about the attack (you can read the full story here):
Israel struck military sites in Iran early on Saturday, saying it was in response to “months of continuous attacks from the regime in Iran against the state of Israel”. The strikes were widely expected after Tehran’s attacks on Israel this month. The Israeli public broadcaster Kan said dozens of fighter jets were involved.
The attack killed four Iranian soldiers, Iran’s army said.
The Israeli military said on Saturday morning it hit missile manufacturing sites and aerial defences in several areas and had completed its “targeted” air attacks, and that its planes had safely returned home. Israel’s public broadcaster said three waves of strikes had been completed.
The UK and US have warned against further escalation, while nations including Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan have all condemned the attacks.
Israel bears “full responsibility” for the escalation of conflict in the Middle East, the Pakistan foreign ministry has said, adding that the Israeli strikes “undermine the path to regional peace and stability”.
Iran is “entitled and obligated to defend itself against external aggressive acts”, its foreign ministry has said. The ministry called the Israeli attack a violation of international law and said Tehran “recognises its responsibilities towards regional peace and security”.
Iran said its air defence system successfully countered Israel’s attacks on military targets in the provinces of Tehran, Khuzestan and Ilam, with “limited damage” to some locations. A semi-official Iranian news agency vowed a “proportional reaction” to Israeli moves against Tehran.
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