Iran confirms killing of its two soldiers in Israeli airstrikes

Iran's military on Saturday confirmed that its two soldiers were "martyred" in airstrikes carried out by Israel on Tehran's military installations. 

"The army of the Islamic Republic of Iran lost two of its fighters during the night when they faced projectiles from the criminal Zionist regime in defence of its territory," the statement read.

The response came after Israel launched over 100 aircraft on Iran, targeting "missile-making facilities, surface-to-air missiles, and other military targets".

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) claimed the strikes were in response to "months of attacks" by the Iranian government, specifically citing the 200 ballistic missiles fired at Israel on October 1, 2024. 

The IDF said it targeted missile manufacturing facilities responsible for "producing missiles used to attack Israel". 

However, Iran has denied reports that military centres belonging to the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) in Tehran were attacked.

Citing informed sources, Tasnim news agency stated that no IRGC military centers in the west and south of the Iranian capital were targeted. 

"The loud blasts heard around Tehran were related to the activation of the air defence system against the actions of the Zionist regime (Israel) which attacked three locations outside of Tehran city," it said.

Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKIA) CEO Saeed Chalandari reassured that the airport was in a stable situation, with no security incidents reported. 

The US had previously warned Israel to avoid targeting nuclear and oil sites, which could escalate regional conflicts. 

The attack came after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Israel of a more "painful response" to any future attacks.

Earlier, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian called the October 1 missile attack a decisive response, cautioning Israel not to engage in conflict.

Iraq's transport ministry suspended flights across all airports due to regional tensions.

Reacting to the attack, Iran said that it is prepared to respond to any Israeli "aggression".

"There is no doubt that Israel will face a proportional reaction for any action it takes," Tasnim quoted the sources as saying.