Iran Claims Israel's Strikes Are an Expression of Fear, Not Strength

Israel has targeted Iranian military facilities, justifying the attacks as responses to ongoing assaults, but Iranian authorities believe that Israel's actions are driven by fear rather than a desire to demonstrate power. This was stated by Mohsen Rezaei, the Secretary of Iran's Expediency Council and former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

General Mohsen Rezaei expressed the opinion that Israel's recent strike against Iran was motivated more by fear than by a show of force, according to TASS. He noted on the X social network that Israel is trying to flee the battlefield rather than demonstrate strength.

Despite Israel's strikes, the situation in Tehran and other major Iranian cities remains calm, as reported by the Russian embassy in Tehran. Iranian media indicate that the country’s residents have not felt the consequences of the attacks, and social and economic infrastructures have not been affected.

The Israel Defense Forces stated that the assaults were in response to “numerous continuous attacks.” Military sites in Ilam, Tehran, and Khuzestan provinces were targeted, but damage was reportedly limited. Iran's air defense systems successfully thwarted the main hits.

These events were a continuation of the escalation that began on October 1, when Iran launched a missile strike against Israel in retaliation for the killings of key figures in Hamas, Hezbollah, and the IRGC leadership. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had previously warned that retaliation would be on a larger scale if Israel continued its bombardments.

During the attack on Iran, Israel deployed over 100 fighter jets, including F-35s, but the strikes did not target Iran's nuclear or strategic installations.