Iranian army reports only radar systems hit in Israeli strikes

General staff says prioritising establishment of a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon

TEHRAN:

Iran’s military said on Saturday that only radar systems were damaged in pre-dawn Israeli strikes on Tehran and other provinces and said it was prioritising a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.

“Thanks to the timely performance of the country’s air defences, the attacks caused limited damage and a few radar systems were damaged,” the armed forces general staff said in a statement read out on state television.

“A large number of missiles were intercepted and enemy aircraft were prevented from entering the country’s airspace,” the statement said.

Israeli aircraft were reduced to firing a “small number of long-range missiles with very light warheads from a distance”, inside the US-patrolled airspace of neighbouring Iraq, it added.

The general staff held back from any threat of immediate retaliation. “While reserving its legal and legitimate right to respond at the appropriate moment, Iran is prioritising the establishment of a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon,” it said.