TEHRAN, Iran (AA) - Two Iranian soldiers were killed in Israel’s overnight attack on the country, the Iranian military announced in a statement Saturday.

The statement said the soldiers lost their lives while "defending Iran’s security and preventing harm to the Iranian people and interests, in response to projectiles launched by the criminal Zionist regime."

It did not, however, specify the location of the attack or the extent of the damage, adding that more details would be released soon.

Security sources reported that the attack began around 2.30 am local time (2300GMT), with residents in Tehran hearing loud sounds from air defense systems.

According to Iran’s air defense forces, the Israeli strikes targeted sites in the capital Tehran as well at the Khuzestan and Ilam provinces, claiming that its defenses successfully thwarted the strikes, as reported by state media.

However, it added that "limited damage” was reported in some locations, with investigation ongoing.

An Israeli army spokesperson said the operation was aimed at Iran’s missile production facilities, surface-to-air missile systems, and other air defense infrastructure.

Saturday's attack, a rare direct strike on Iranian military sites, follows Iran’s Oct. 1 missile attacks on targets in Tel Aviv, which were in retaliation for the deaths of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Abbas Nilforoushan.

Iran previously warned that any attack from Israel would prompt a "harsher response."
According to experts, the attack is likely to further escalate tensions between the two arch-foes.