TEL AVIV: Israelis reacted with mixed emotions to the country’s strikes Saturday on arch-foe Iran. While some hoped for de-escalation, others expressed confidence in the military’s ability to defend them.
The army said its planes hit military bases, missile sites and other systems in several Iranian regions in retaliation for a missile barrage against Israel earlier this month. Iran said two soldiers were killed.
The strikes mark the latest phase in Israel’s ongoing fight on multiple fronts.
For over a year, it has battled Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the Iran-backed Palestinian militant group’s unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel.
Since last month, Israel has also been at war with the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, targeting its leadership and launching incursions aimed at weakening the Hamas ally.
Despite air raid sirens and sporadic evacuations, life has gone on as usual for many Israelis.
“We should not be afraid of anything,” said Sagi Kawaz, 55, from Tel Aviv. “We have a good army and we will have a good response for every attack.”
The Israeli military said it launched the strikes “in response to months of continuous attacks” from Iran.
Since October 7, it added, Israel has faced aggression on “seven fronts,” including attacks from Iranian territory.
Saturday’s strikes follow Israel’s vow to avenge Iran’s October 1 missile attack.
Iran had previously said that barrage was in retaliation for an Israeli air raid that killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and a Revolutionary Guards general in Lebanon, as well as for the assassination in Tehran of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Some in Israel hope the tit-for-tat between the two countries has been settled for the time being.
“It won’t continue, the response was proportional, and things will move on,” said Yossi Yaish, 65, from Tel Aviv.
Yaish said his routine had gone on unchanged despite the strike on Iran.
“We heard in the morning about the attack and we continued as usual, as we do our bike ride every Saturday,” he added.
Israel and Iran continued a war of words on Saturday following the strikes.
The Israeli military warned the Islamic republic it would “pay a heavy price” if it begins a new round of escalation.
Iran’s foreign ministry fired back, saying the country “has the right and the duty to defend itself against foreign acts of aggression.”
For Tel Aviv resident Yaniv Chen, the latest escalation was “worrying” but “nothing more than that.”
“It’s hard to say what the future will bring,” Chen told AFP. “But I won’t agree to live in fear.”