October 26, 2024

In a proportional Israeli response to Iran’s October 1 missile attack, in a pre-dawn attack, the Israeli Air Force dispatched more than one hundred aircraft to Iran, targeting multiple military facilities. Targets included military bases, air defense systems,  missile production facilities, and factories used to produce fuel for Iran’s long distance missile arsenal. The attack left the Iranian regime with virtually no air defense systems against what might be another Israeli attack, should it come.  The Israelis did not target either Iran’s oil facilities or score direct hits on its nuclear weapons production capabilities. The US government responded by warning Iran not to respond to this Israeli action. Israel’s attack occurred ten days prior to the US presidential election, with little comment from either major candidate about the attack. For Israel, it was the most complicated and furthest preemptive attack against an enemy carried out in the nation’s history.