Israel launched a retaliatory missile strike on Iran late Thursday, following Tehran's attack on Israel earlier this week. The extent of the damage caused by the Israeli strikes remains unknown, as both Israel and Iran downplayed the attack on Friday morning, indicating a possible effort to de-escalate regional tensions.

A senior U.S. military official has confirmed that the Israeli military conducted missile strikes against Iran. However, details about the extent of the strikes and any potential damage are scarce. Iran's state news agency reports that air defenses in the central city of Isfahan intercepted a "suspicious target," with no reported damage in the area. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran's nuclear sites were not affected.

Explosions were also reported in Iraq and Syria. Syria's state-run news agency stated that Israel targeted air defense sites in its southern region, resulting in some material damage. World leaders are now calling for a de-escalation of the conflict and continued efforts to reach a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in order to prevent a wider regional conflict.

Despite the tensions, the reaction to the strikes appears relatively muted in both countries. Iranian state TV reportedly laughed off the attack, and social media reacted with mocking memes. Flights in Iran were temporarily suspended but resumed on Friday morning. Israel's Home Front Command System did not raise its threat level, and the country did not suspend flights, although Lufthansa has announced the suspension of flights to Israel and Iraq until at least early Saturday due to the "current situation."

Israeli officials, apart from a few exceptions, have remained quiet about the attack. Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's hard-line national security minister, tweeted out a single word, criticizing the strike. The tweet sparked a debate within and beyond Israel about how the country should respond to Iran's attack. Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid called the tweet "unforgivable," stating that Ben-Gvir had embarrassed Israel on an international scale.

The Middle East has been on the verge of a wider conflict since Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7. Iran supports several militant groups involved in the current conflict, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. Israel accuses Iran of using its support for the Syrian regime to ship weapons to Hezbollah. Earlier this month, Iran blamed Israel for bombing its consulate in Damascus and threatened retaliation. In response, Iran fired hundreds of drones and missiles towards Israel, most of which were intercepted with the help of the U.S., U.K., France, and Jordan.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced pressure from both far-right members of his war cabinet and Western leaders to respond to Iran's attack cautiously to avoid a wider regional war. General Frank McKenzie, a retired U.S. military commander, believes that Israel's response signaled both restraint and the ability to conduct larger-scale attacks in the future.

Foreign leaders from various countries, including China, the U.K., Russia, and Australia, are urging both Israel and Iran to de-escalate tensions and calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict. Egypt's foreign ministry expressed concern about the escalating situation and called for restraint. The European Union has announced plans to strengthen existing sanctions against Iran, aiming to punish Tehran and prevent future attacks on Israel while also urging Israel to exercise restraint.

As the situation in the Middle East teeters on the edge, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres appeals to the international community to work together to prevent further developments that could lead to devastating consequences for the entire region and beyond.