Israel conducted a series of airstrikes on Iran early Friday morning, as reported by various news sources. This development occurred shortly after Iran launched a wave of drones and missiles towards Israel.
Mehr, an Iranian news agency, stated that multiple explosions were heard around 4 am local time above Isfahan, a central city in Iran.
IRNA, another news agency, mentioned that Iran’s air defenses were activated in different regions, while Israel targeted military airfields and a radar site in Syria and Iraq.
Hossein Dalirian, a spokesperson for Iran’s civilian space program, announced on X (formerly Twitter) that several drones were shot down over Isfahan. Iranian television later confirmed that three drones were destroyed over the city.
Al Jazeera reported that Iran has halted flights at various airports, including Tehran and Isfahan.
CNN, citing an unnamed US official, stated that nuclear facilities were not hit during the airstrikes.
The Israeli army declined to comment on the reports of strikes in Iran and Syria when approached by AFP. Additionally, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office did not confirm Israel’s involvement in the explosions in Isfahan to the Times of Israel.
The Syrian Defense Ministry verified the Israeli attack, noting that it took place around 3 am local time and targeted air defense installations in the southern part of the country. The ministry mentioned that the attack caused “material damage” without providing further specifics.
Earlier, on April 1, Israel targeted the Iranian consulate building in Damascus, resulting in the deaths of seven senior officers from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force. In response, Iran launched kamikaze drones and missiles at Israel on April 13. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that most of the projectiles were intercepted, causing only minor damage on the ground.
Following Iran’s Foreign Minister Houssein Amir-Abdollahian’s statement to CNN, reports of the explosions surfaced hours later, indicating that Iran’s reaction would be swift and severe should Israel engage in additional military actions against Iran.
Amir-Abdollahian emphasized that any further aggression from Israel would result in a resolute, conclusive, and remorseful retaliation from Iran, with a warning relayed to the White House through the Swiss Embassy in Tehran.
