TEL AVIV, Israel — Iran’s military issued a carefully worded statement Saturday evening suggesting that a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon trumps any retaliation against Israel.

While asserting that it had the right to retaliate, the statement suggested that Tehran could try to find a way to avoid further escalation after the Israeli attack on Saturday morning.

The Iranian military added that Israel used so-called standoff missiles over Iraqi airspace to launch its attacks and that the warheads were much lighter in order to travel the distance to the targets it they struck in three Iranian provinces.

The statement said Iran’s military radar sites were damaged, but some were already under repair.

THIS IS A LATEST UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel attacked military targets in Iran with predawn airstrikes Saturday in retaliation for the ballistic missile barrage the Islamic Republic fired on Israel earlier this month. These strikes marked the first time that the Israeli army openly attacked Iran.

Following the airstrikes, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said it had the right to self-defense and “considers itself entitled and obliged to defend itself against foreign acts of aggression.” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran had “no limits” in defending its interests.

The Israeli military said it targeted facilities used by Iran to manufacture the missiles fired at Israel as well as surface-to-air missile sites. There is no immediate indication that oil or nuclear sites were hit, which would have marked a much more serious escalation.

Iran’s official IRNA news agency said four people were killed, all linked to the country’s military air defense. It was not specified where they were stationed. The Iranian military said the strikes targeted military bases in Ilam, Khuzestan and Tehran provinces, without elaborating. The Islamic Republic said the attacks caused “limited damage”.

The strikes risk bringing the sworn enemies closer to all-out war at a time of spiral of violence in the Middle Eastwhere militant groups supported by Iran – notably Hamas in Gaza And Hezbollah in Lebanon – are already at war with Israel.

US President Joe Biden told reporters that Israel had given him warning before the strikes and said it appeared “they only hit military targets”. He said he had just finished a call with intelligence officials.

“I hope this is the end,” he said.

Iran had not faced a barrage of sustained fire from a foreign enemy since its war with Iraq in the 1980s. Explosions could be heard in Tehran until sunrise.

On October 1, Iran launched at least 180 missiles at Israel in retaliation for devastating blows Israel has landed against Hezbollah. They caused little damage and a few injuries. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran “made a grave mistake.”

It is also widely believed that Israel is behind a limited airstrike in April near a major air base in Iran that hit the radar system of a Russian-made air defense battery. Iran had fired a wave of missiles and drones in Israel in April, causing minimal damageafter two Iranian generals were killed in an apparent Israeli airstrike on an Iranian diplomatic post in Syria.

“Iran attacked Israel twice, including in places endangering civilians, and paid the price,” said Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, an Israeli army spokesman. He added: “If the Iranian regime made the mistake of starting a new round of escalations, we would be forced to respond. »

Footage released by the Israeli military showed operatives preparing to depart for the strikes aboard American-made F-15 and F-16 fighter jets.

The Israeli attack did not destroy highly visible or symbolic facilities that could provoke a significant response from Iran, said Yoel Guzansky, a researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, who worked previously for Israel’s National Security Council.

It also gives Israel room for escalation if necessary, and targeting air defense systems weakens Iran’s abilities to defend itself against future attacks, he said, adding that if it If there were Iranian retaliations, they should be limited.

Israel has once again shown that its military precision and capabilities are superior to those of Iran, said Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at the London-based think tank Chatham House.

“By targeting military sites and missile installations above nuclear and energy infrastructure, Israel is also signaling that it is not seeking further escalation at this time,” Vakil said. “This is a sign that diplomacy and behind-the-scenes efforts to moderate the strike have been successful.”