State media in Iran reported explosions in Isfahan today, and US media quoted officials saying Israel had carried out retaliatory strikes on its arch-rival.
Iran's official broadcaster said air defence systems in several Iranian cities were turned on after they reported hearing explosions near Isfahan.
Israel had warned it would strike back after Iran fired many missiles and drones at Israel over the weekend. Most of them were stopped.
Iran's Fars news agency said there were “three explosions” near the Shekari army airbase in northwest Isfahan province, and Iran's space agency spokesman Hossein Dalirian mentioned that “several” drones were “successfully shot down”.
Dalirian said on the social media platform X, “There are no reports of a missile attack for now.”
Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that nuclear facilities in Isfahan were “completely secure” and cited “reliable sources”.
ABC and CBS News reported that Israel carried out the strikes, quoting US officials, and there was no immediate comment from the White House or Pentagon.
The Israeli military told AFP, “We don’t have a comment at this time.”
Flights suspended
Iran, a key supporter of the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, launched the attack in response to a strike on its consulate in Damascus on April 1 that was widely blamed on Israel.
A local activist group reported blasts in southern Syria.
Rayan Maarouf, who runs the Suwayda24 anti-government website, said, “There were strikes on a Syrian army radar position” in Sweida province.
Flights across parts of Iran were stopped on Friday.
Tehran’s official IRNA news agency said, “Iran’s air defence has been activated in the skies of several provinces of the country.”
Mehr news agency reported that “flights to Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz, and airports in the west, northwest and southwest have been suspended.”
After Iran’s barrages of missiles, Israeli officials did not say when or where they would retaliate, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country reserves the right to protect itself.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Thursday of escalating tensions over the war in Gaza and Iran’s attack on Israel, fearing they could lead to a “full-scale regional conflict.”
Guterres told the Security Council, “The Middle East is on a precipice. Recent days have seen a dangerous escalation — in words and deeds.”
He said, “One miscalculation, one miscommunication, one mistake, could lead to the unthinkable — a full-scale regional conflict that would be devastating for all involved,” and called on all parties to exercise “maximum restraint.”
Oil prices surged more than three percent in early Asian trade on Friday following reports of explosions in Iran.
AFP
