Israel Strikes Iran After Drone Attack

The Israeli military reportedly launched airstrikes targeting Iran early Friday in response to Tehran’s recent drone attack on its territory. The strikes, said to be “limited” in nature, targeted an airbase near Isfahan, central Iran. While Iran’s state-controlled Fars News Agency reported explosions near Isfahan airport, Iranian officials dismissed reports of the strike as propaganda.

According to the New York Times, citing unnamed Iranian officials, and ABC News, citing a senior U.S. official, Israel launched a missile strike against Iran. Iran later claimed the explosions were caused by air defense batteries firing at a suspicious object.

Israel had informed U.S. officials on Thursday about its plan to carry out a strike on Iran within 24-48 hours, as reported by Bloomberg. The Israeli military has not commented on the reports of the attack.

Following the reported strikes, FlightRadar24 data showed several airplanes diverting from Iran. Iranian authorities had temporarily closed airports in Isfahan, Shiraz, and Tehran, but these closures were lifted a few hours later.

An unnamed Israeli official told the Washington Post that the attack was intended to signal Israel’s ability to strike inside Iran. However, the extent of the damage from the attack remains unclear. Iranian authorities stated that nuclear facilities near Isfahan were safe, a claim confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

This recent escalation follows Iran’s weekend attack on Israeli territory using hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles. Israel claimed to have shot down 99% of the missiles and drones, resulting in only minor damages. Iran said its attack was in response to an Israeli airstrike on its diplomatic compound in Damascus, which killed 16 people, including two senior military leaders.

The situation remains tense, with both countries exchanging threats of severe responses to any further escalation.