by israel overnight, reportedly killing two soldiers. israel says the strikes are in response to months of continous attacks. if the regime in iran were to make the mistake of beginning a new round of escalation, we would be obligated to respond. our message is clear. the us and uk call for restraint urging iran against hitting back in an attempt to dismantle the cycle of violence. iran should not respond. we will continue to work with allies to de—escalate the situation across the region. hello, welcome to the programme. let's return to our top story. israel has launched multiple air strikes on iran in response to what the israeli military called months of continuous attacks from

tehran and its proxies. explosions this is the moment israeli missiles could be seen and heard heading over the iranian capital. the idf says it struck military targets in iran, which it accuses of relentlessly attacking israel since october the 7th 2023. it comes after tehran launched almost 200 ballistic missiles towards israel on i october, in what the country iranian state media say the iranian air defense command issued a statement, saying that israeli airstrikes against military centres in tehran, the western province of ilam, and the southwestern province of khuzestan have been intercepted and countered successfully. but the agency conceded two soldiers were killed and some locations suffered limited damage. let's speak to professor yossi mekelberg, senior consulting fellow of the mena programme at chatham house.

what is your immediate response or assessment to these attacks? i think the immediate response is, everyone dry to adhere to their own rules in this game. everyone expected israel would react to the attack on the 1st of october. it was just ahead of october. it was just ahead of the jewish of october. it was just ahead of thejewish high holidays so there was expectation that by there was expectation that by the end, the attack would take place, but also there was a relatively narrow window of opportunity to do that before the american election. without having to much of an impact on the american election, so the timing and also the targets, not nuclear targets in iran, not nuclear targets in iran, not oil, not targeting them but

military targets, it also enables both sides to claim victory. from the israelite point of view, it used the targets it wanted and then hit some manufacturing capabilities of iran's missiles industry. from iran's point of view, because it took place in military installations, not open to civilians, it can also argue that not much damage has been done. it can end this tit—for—tat if both sides are interested in this. it tit-for-tat if both sides are interested in this.- interested in this. if both sides are _ interested in this. if both sides are interested - interested in this. if both sides are interested but. interested in this. if both - sides are interested but there will not be complete unity on both sides. if we start with iran, there will be factions within iran that want to strike back? �* ., , within iran that want to strike back? �* . , , ., within iran that want to strike back? �* .,, i. ., within iran that want to strike back? ., , . back? and as you would expect, in the government _ back? and as you would expect, in the government or _ in the government or leadership, and the same in iran, some would view an attack

on this scale deserves retaliation because it is in the highest scale, on the greatest scale. some will argue this is not the time to do this, especially when the us and israel are allies behind it. and in lebanon but on the other hand there are different opinions. there is also a fear in israel because we see that at times when military operations succeed, they think, thatis operations succeed, they think, that is look for another military target instead of looking to move it from the military sphere to the political diplomatic success into political objectives and obtaining them. we have not seen it yet. iii, obtaining them. we have not seen it yet-— seen it yet. if, as your analysis _ seen it yet. if, as your analysis points - seen it yet. if, as your l analysis points towards, seen it yet. if, as your - analysis points towards, the fact that there could be an

opportunity to end the tit—for—tat, the strikes between iran and israel, what impact, if any, between iran and israel, what impact, ifany, does between iran and israel, what impact, if any, does not have on the ongoing conflict in the region, gaza and hezbollah? i think this is exact the point. now there is an opportunity. there is further escalation on both sides, to fight, but there is also an opportunity to bring to an end. israel managed to kill most of the leadership of hamas, including the mastermind that masterminded october seven. most of the hezbollah leadership has been eliminated and now, the retaliation in iran will now look, not necessarily directly, but may be through mediators, the us, qatar, egypt, jordan and others, and to try to wrap it

up others, and to try to wrap it up and look into, let us remember these early hostages in the hands of hamas and other groups in gaza. still 60,000 israeli residence cannot go back and live in the north, so it is also in the israeli interested to look about wrapping up this war that has cost so many lives and culture so much devastation.- cost so many lives and culture so much devastation. thank you very much _ so much devastation. thank you very much for— so much devastation. thank you very much for coming _ so much devastation. thank you very much for coming on - so much devastation. thank you very much for coming on the - very much for coming on the programme. let's speak to former british ambassador to iran — sir richard dalton. what is your immediate thoughts when you woke up this morning and heard of the strikes? bier? and heard of the strikes? very much the _ and heard of the strikes? very much the same _ and heard of the strikes? very much the same as _ and heard of the strikes? very much the same as the - and heard of the strikes? - much the same as the previous guest. i agree with all aspects of his analysis. there is a good chance, i believe, now, that we can draw a line under

this exchange of violence between israel and iran. of course, it is worth pointing out that we would not be where we are, worrying about the possibility of a further escalation, if israel had not assassinated hamas's leader and prime negotiator for asus are in gaza enabling him to act of aggression against iran in tehran. that is what provoked the israeli, the iranians attack on israel and now israel's response.- attack on israel and now israel's response. but israel has been — israel's response. but israel has been pointing _ israel's response. but israel has been pointing out - israel's response. but israel has been pointing out that l israel's response. but israel. has been pointing out that its response is in fact over a continuous series of attacks by iran and its proxies over the last year, pointing presumably to hamas and to hezbollah? yes. to hamas and to hezbollah? yes, but this was— to hamas and to hezbollah? yes, but this was an _ to hamas and to hezbollah? yes, but this was an attack _ to hamas and to hezbollah? yes, but this was an attack on - to hamas and to hezbollah? yes, but this was an attack on iran - but this was an attack on iran and iran has not attacked

israel, other than in response to act by israel. so there is no point in looking for first causes. if necessary, we can go back to the abandonment by britain of the principle of self—determination for colonial peoples, when it assisted the zionist movement to gain control of two thirds of historic palestine through colonisation and war in 1948. but it does not serve any purpose now to recall that, other than to remind the british government that it is framing of this matter, most recently by sir keir starmer�*s statement in the margins of the commonwealth meeting, is that wholly one—sided and is not contributing to his declared aim of seeking de—escalation.

it is time for countries like the uk, european countries, to point out that, as president mccrone did, israel is sowing barbarism. it is not conducting a war personalisation, as israel likes to claim, this is the opportunity now for a comprehensive ceasefire on all fronts to spur further civilian suffering. that will still leave the underlying palestinian question to be resolved and it will still leave religiously inspired resistance to israel intact, so evenif resistance to israel intact, so even if israel continues this war, it is not going to achieve its objective of eliminating the palestinian right to self—determination and understate. self-determination and

understate.— self-determination and understate. ~ . ., understate. what about the chances then _ understate. what about the chances then a _ understate. what about the chances then a basis - understate. what about the chances then a basis for - understate. what about the chances then a basis for at| chances then a basis for at this moment?— chances then a basis for at this moment? they don't look aood. this moment? they don't look good- the _ this moment? they don't look good. the hamas _ this moment? they don't look good. the hamas leadership l this moment? they don't look. good. the hamas leadership has been considerably weakened with the killing of leading figures. we don't know how able they are to take strategic decisions. moreover, the war party is still prevalent in israel. there are many who say that the aim of the populating northern gaza to create an extensive buffer zone is a chilly under way and there is no sign yet that the military are willing to pull back from its campaign in lebanon. the us is not prepared to use the leverage it possesses to support its declared aim of the escalating and peace. declared aim of the escalating and peace-— and peace. within iran itself,

clearly we — and peace. within iran itself, clearly we touched _ and peace. within iran itself, clearly we touched a - and peace. within iran itself, clearly we touched a little - and peace. within iran itself, clearly we touched a little on| clearly we touched a little on the different factions and the different pressures that will be coming to bear now, what do you make of the strength of the various factions and how their voices will be heard, or not, when it comes to the scale or any response at all?- when it comes to the scale or any response at all? iran pablo carreno busta _ any response at all? iran pablo carreno busta retaliation - carreno busta retaliation decisions are taken by the supreme leader who is a cautious man. his prime aim is the survival of the islamic regime and the defence of iran's sovereignty and independence. i doubt whether he will see it as in the interests of iran to listen to those voices in iran who might call for further fighting directly against israel. iran's

capabilities are not infinite, they have no significant air force for example. they will not, i believe, be willing to take further steps to launch a campaign against israel, which could lead to either much more destruction in iran at the hands of israel, or even bringing in the us on israel's side. so i am cautiously optimistic that those voices, those factions who might want further action, will not be listened to.— further action, will not be listened to. thank you very much for — listened to. thank you very much for coming _ listened to. thank you very much for coming on - listened to. thank you very much for coming on the - much for coming on the programme. i want to bring you right up—to—date with where we are. iran has launched that air strike in israel, forgive me come over iran. we know from the military spokesperson that they were targeting iranian military sites, military targets and that all of

israel's planes have now returned safely to israel. that coming from its relentless resources. that's take a look now at 30 seconds or so of the footage. this is the skyline of tehran, the capital of iran. explosions. let's speak to fawaz gerges, professor of international relations at the london school of economics. we have had the response from iran saying it has the right to

defend itself but lots of observers and former ambassadors and academics have said in the last hour or so that they believe there won't be a response from iran. given the scale of the strikes being carried out, where do you sit? if you listen carefully to what the iranian leadership has been saying, iran is downplaying the extent of the israeli attacks on iran. i am saying that only two air force soldiers have been killed and the damage has been killed and the damage has been limited. my take on it is that the iranian leadership basically is relieved, relieved because israel did not really impact other nuclear programmes or its oil and gas facilities. the americans in particular are

taking a sigh of relief because israel did not do so. my take on it really in the past few months, and this might come as a surprise to some of your viewers, iran has exercised considerable strength because iran does not really want all out war, either with israel or the us. there is an increasing belief within t