Iran downs 3 Israeli drones attacking Isfahan

WASHINGTON/VIENNA: Israel launched a strike against Iran in retaliation for its weekend attack, US media reported Thursday night.

ABC and CBS News reported the strikes early Friday Mideast time, quoting US officials.

Iran activated its air defense system over several cities and fired air defence batteries to shoot down three drones over the central city of Isfahan, state media reported after explosions were heard near the central city of Isfahan.

Israel had warned it would hit back after Iran fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel over the weekend.

Most of them were intercepted.

That strike came in the wake of an attack on Iran’s consulate in Damascus by Israel.

Despite Friday’s announcement of explosions in central Iran, many people appeared unfazed and planned rallies in the capital. “We’re going to the park to play board games. Everything is just like before,” Bahar, 24, an instructor who works with children, told AFP from Isfahan province where the early morning blasts were heard.

“It’s just like a normal Friday morning,” added Bahar, who said she only heard about the explosions from a friend living abroad. State media reported detonations were heard after “several” drones were “successfully shot down” by Iran’s anti-aircraft defence system.

However, US media quoted officials there as saying Israel had carried out strikes in retaliation for Tehran’s drone and missile barrage fired at Israel last weekend. Iran’s Tasnim news agency quoted “informed sources” as denying the explosions were an attack from abroad.

Even President Ebrahim Raisi made no mention of the blasts when he gave a speech in Semnan province east of Tehran. Flights over Iran were briefly suspended following the explosions, but later resumed as scheduled.

Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said there had been no damage to the Iranian nuclear sites following the explosions.

“IAEA can confirm that there is no damage to Iran’s nuclear sites,” the Vienna-based agency said on X, adding that it was closely monitoring the situation.

The agency called for “extreme restraint from everybody” and added that “nuclear facilities should never be a target in military conflicts”.

Iran’s Fars news agency reported that “three explosions” were heard near Qahjavarestan, near Isfahan airport and the 8th Shekari Army airbase.

Nuclear facilities in Isfahan were reported to be “completely secure”, Tasnim news agency said.

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi had said Monday that Iran had closed its nuclear installations for security reasons.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken Friday refused to comment on Israeli attack on Iran, beyond saying Washington was “not involved in any offensive operation”.

Speaking to journalists after a meeting with G7 counterparts in Italy, he declined to answer repeated questions about explosions in Iran, and reports that Israel had carried out retaliatory strikes.

“I’m not going to speak to these reported events. All I can say is for our part and for all the members of the G7 our focus is on de-escalation”, Blinken told a press conference on the island of Capri.

“The US has not been involved in any offensive operation,” he said.

Meanwhile, the international community reacted to the Israeli attack on Isfahan.

China: “China opposes any actions that further escalate tensions and will continue to play a constructive role to de-escalate the situation,” said foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian.

Oman: “The Sultanate of Oman is following the continuing tension in the region and condemns the Israeli attack this morning on Isfahan,” the foreign ministry said, adding that it also “condemns and denounces Israel’s repeated military attacks in the region.

“Oman once again appeals to the international community to address the causes and roots of tension and conflict through dialogue, diplomacy and political solutions, and to focus on ceasefire efforts in Gaza and resort to international law and United Nations resolutions to reach a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue”.

EU: “It is absolutely necessary that the region stays stable and that all sides refrain from further action,” European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen.

UK: “We have condemned Iran’s reckless and dangerous barrage of missiles against Israel on Saturday and Israel absolutely has a right to self-defence.

But as I said to Prime Minister Netanyahu when I spoke to him (this week) and more generally, significant escalation is not in anyone’s interest; what we want to see is calm heads prevail across the region,” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said.

G7: The G7 foreign ministers urged “all parties” to “work to prevent further escalation” in the Middle East. “In light of reports of strikes on April 19th, we urge all parties to work to prevent further escalation. The G7 will continue to work to this end,” they said in a statement.

United Nations: Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said “It is high time to stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation in the Middle East”, according to a statement from his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

Russia: The Kremlin said it was studying information on Israel’s reported strike on Iran and urged both sides to show restraint. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Russian radio stations that Russia’s leadership was in contact with their counterparts in Iran and Russian officials were also in touch with the Israelis.