IDF releases footage of detonation in Lebanon that caused earthquake scare in Israel | Iran says 4 soldiers died in Israeli overnight strikes

19:00 - So powerful it triggered earthquake alarms: IDF releases footage of Hezbollah bunker detonation

The IDF published footage of the bunker whose controlled destruction using some 400 tons of explosives on Saturday morning was so large it triggered earthquake alarms across northern Israel.

The strategic underground compound was over a kilometer and a half long, and had been built for the past 15 years. It was prepared with stocks of weapons, equipment and ammunition to enable hundreds of terrorists to hold out for a long time, the IDF said.

Israeli soldiers found food storages, beds, closets, electricity and many weapons, including anti-tank missiles, rockets, RPGs, mines and explosive charges.

"The purpose of this underground system, and especially of these living quarters, is actually to enable those Hezbollah and Radwan operatives to arrive from nearby villages ostensibly as ordinary citizens, dressed in civilian clothes, to enter this tunnel, and gear up with combat equipment, vests, light weapons and heavy weapons, machine guns, ammunition, everything they need, and at the moment of the order - launch an attack on the State of Israel."

18:51 - Four Iranian soldiers died in Israeli strikes, regime announces

Four Iranian soldiers were killed in the overnight strikes Israel carried out against around 20 targets in Iran, regime media reported.

The death toll was raised after initial reports said two soldiers had died.

17:06 - IDF releases pictures of IAF pilots returning from strikes - including female navigators

The IDF published pictures of the flight crews after their safe return from several waves of airstrikes carried out in Iranian territory overnight.

The picture show some of the four female Air Force pilots who, in a historic first, took part in an aerial attack in a foreign country, serving as navigators in the IAF's F-16 fighter jets.

מצורפות תמונות בנושא:
>> pic.twitter.com/a0LBpMVe91

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) October 26, 2024

11:34 - Hamas slams Israeli "aggression" in Iran

The terror organization Hamas strongly condemned Israel's overnight direct attacks on Iranian territory in an official statement.

“We… condemn in the strongest terms the Zionist aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the targeting of military sites in several provinces,” the group said, calling the strikes “a blatant violation of Iranian sovereignty and an escalation that threatens the security of the region.”

11:23 - Iran will not respond to Israeli strikes, regime reportedly tells Israel

The Iranian regime has informed Israel through a foreign intermediary that it will not respond to the waves of attacks on its territory tonight, Sky News Arabic reported.

07:02 - Earthquake alerts set off across northern Israel; IDF says alerts were triggered by operations in Lebanon

Israelis across the north, from Caesarea on the coast to the most northern part of the Golan Heights, received notifications of a potential earthquake.

Shortly afterward, the IDF released a statement: "Over the past few minutes, explosions were heard in northern Israel following IDF operational activity in southern Lebanon. There is no indication of a security incident."

Ynet News quotes an Israel Meteorological Service statement which confirms the IDF notice. "The earthquake alerts were triggered following a significant, controlled explosion that took place this morning in the northern region. The alert system detected the explosion as an earthquake, and the alert was distributed accordingly."

Reports note that the IDF detonated a Hezbollah weapons stockpile that caused the explosion and triggered the earthquake alerts.

06:45 - Assessment: Iran will respond; Israeli source: "Significant damage to ground-to-ground missile production facilities"

According to estimates, the Israeli objective in the attack on Iran was to destroy the production capabilities of Iranian ground-to-ground missiles, and Tehran is expected to respond to the strike.

An Israeli official familiar with the details stated, "The intelligence provided by the IDF's Military Intelligence Directorate (AMAN) in this incident is extraordinarily beyond belief. The strike was precisely aimed at factories producing ground-to-ground missiles to ensure that the damage to Iran is particularly significant. This is highly accurate, detailed intelligence regarding the factory, which is irreplaceable, and a precise strike by the Air Force, not near or approximately." (Ynet)

06:16 - IDF spokesperson: "If Iran initiates a new round of escalation, we are committed to responding"

IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Daniel Hagari released a statement to the international media: "We have completed Israel's response to Iran's attacks against Israel. We carried out targeted and precise strikes against military targets in Iran, neutralizing immediate threats to the State of Israel. The IDF's mission has been accomplished. If the regime in Iran makes the mistake of initiating a new round of escalation, we are committed to responding."

"Our message is clear: anyone who threatens the State of Israel and seeks to drag the region into broader escalation will pay a heavy price. We have proven today that we can act decisively and that we are prepared, in offense and defense, to protect the State of Israel and its citizens."

06:02 - Operation "Days of Repentance:" Planes returned safely to bases, air defense and missile systems were attacked

Israeli Air Force (IAF) jets have safely landed back in Israel following the strikes in Iran. The missile attack, "Operation Days of Repentance," lasted several hours and was conducted in multiple waves and targeted facilities for missile production; air defense systems that could limit the IAF's freedom of action; and ground-to-ground missile launchers.

Dozens of IAF jets, reconnaissance, collection, and refueling aircraft participated in the operation, which took place over a distance of more than 1,600 km (about 1,000 miles) from Israel across several areas in Iran. "The extent of the damage and results will be assessed later, but there is already greater operational freedom for the IDF," military officials stated.

"We are focused on the objectives of the war in Lebanon and Gaza, and Iran is pushing for regional escalation. We are at peak readiness for both defense and offense, and there is no change in the Home Front Command's guidelines. We are continuously assessing the intelligence and operational situation. We have demonstrated our ability to strike at any point in the Middle East." (Ynet)

05:10 - Iranian officials: "Israel will receive a proportional response" – Report: Strikes to continue for hours

The Iranian news agency Tasnim reported, "Iran reserves the right to respond to any aggression. Israel will receive a proportional response to any action."

The Washington Post reported that "the Israeli strikes are expected to continue for several more hours." This report was allegedly based on an anonymous source familiar with the IDF's plans. (Ynet)

04:30 - US official: "A second wave of strikes has begun in Iran" – Gallant and Austin hold talks

An American official confirmed to The Wall Street Journal that Israel is conducting "waves" of strikes in Iran, stating that a second wave of strikes has begun. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant overnight.

The Arabic network Sky News reported that "Israel's second wave of strikes in Iran is focused on the destruction of Iranian air defenses." In addition, a channel affiliated with the Shiite axis reported that Iranian air defenses are facing a new airstrike east of Tehran after previous reports indicated strikes from the west of the capital. (Ynet)

04:26 - Amid strikes in Iran: Air traffic halted in Iraq

The Iraqi Ministry of Transportation announced a "suspension of air traffic at all airports in Iraq until further notice." (Ynet)

03:55 - Report: "Israel strikes Iran in waves"; Tehran: No military centers were hit

The Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that in the Israeli strike on Iran, "no military centers of the Revolutionary Guards were hit in western and southwestern Tehran." According to the report, there was no attack on IRGC military centers, and the sounds heard were due to "air defense engagement at three locations around Tehran."

Meanwhile, the Saudi television channel Al-Hadath reported that the Israeli strikes were conducted in "waves" and targeted military sites. (Ynet)

03:34 - Syria accuses: "Military sites in the south and center of the country were attacked"

The Syrian Defense Ministry claimed that "around 02:00, the enemy carried out an airstrike targeting several military sites in southern and central Syria. Air defenses engaged with the missiles, intercepting some of them. Assessments of the strike's results are still ongoing." (Ynet)

03:05 - White House officials: "The strike on Iran is self-defense" – US not involved in the operation

The U.S. is not participating in Israel's strikes in Iran but was informed in advance.

National Security Council spokesperson, Sean Savett, stated: "We understand that Israel is conducting targeted strikes against military targets in Iran as an act of self-defense, in response to Iran's ballistic missile attack on Israel on October 1."

A senior White House official further told Ynet: "We were aware of the operation in advance; however, the United States is not participating in this military operation." (Reuters)

02:56 - According to several reports, dozens of aircraft participate in strike on Iran

Dozens of planes and aircraft are participating in the strike operation on Iran, directed from the Air Force command bunker. Meanwhile, Israeli sources familiar with the situation stated: "Iran has no idea what’s happening. There are no sirens in Tehran, and the citizens are in panic. For the first time since the Iran-Iraq war, Tehran is under attack. Israel is changing the equation." (Ynet)

02:37 - Reports: "IDF strikes in Syria targeted air defense systems"

The news site Kol Al-Bira, affiliated with the Syrian opposition, reported from sources that "Israeli strikes targeted the 'Fog 19' air defense system in Homs, Syria." Another report indicated that "airstrikes targeted the radar base at Tel al-Qalib in As-Suwayda, Syria." (Ynet)

02:32 - IDF: Air Force strikes military targets in Iran; No change in Home Front Command instructions

The IDF spokesperson released an official statement to notify that the Air Force (IAF) has struck military targets in Iran. According to the IDF, the airstrikes were "precise strikes on military targets in Iran, in response to the Iranian regime's ongoing attacks against the State of Israel in recent months, as directed by the political leadership. The IDF is fully prepared for both offensive and defensive actions, and we are monitoring developments from Iran and its proxies. The IDF is conducting ongoing situational assessments, and at this time, there is no change in Home Front Command instructions. The public is advised to remain vigilant and follow Home Front Command guidelines."