Iran says Israeli drones shot down, adds 'no missile attack for now'; nuclear facilities in Isfahan secure
Iran stated on Friday that it had "shot down" multiple drones, clarifying that there had not been any missile strikes on the country following reported explosions near Isfahan.
FollowIran stated on Friday that it had "shot down" multiple drones, clarifying that there had not been any missile strikes on the country following reported explosions near Isfahan. However, two US officials informed agencies that Israel had launched a retaliatory strike on Iran, sparking concerns of a potential escalation of conflict across the Middle East.
Several drones "have been successfully shot down by the country's air defence, there are no reports of a missile attack for now," Iran's space agency spokesman Hossein Dalirian said on X.
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Dalirian added, “Until this moment, there has been no air attack from outside the borders to Isfahan or other parts of the country, and they have only made a failed and humiliating attempt to fly quadcopters, and the quadcopters have also been shot down."
According to the Fars news agency, "three explosions" were heard near the Shekari army airbase near Isfahan. Earlier in the day, as reported by Reuters, a senior US official cited by ABC News stated that Israel conducted missile strikes against Tehran early on Friday morning local time.
Notably, Isfahan province houses several Iranian nuclear sites, including Natanz, a key facility in Iran's uranium enrichment program.
In the wake of these reports, Iran's local media said Friday that nuclear facilities in the central city of Isfahan were "completely secure" after explosions were heard near the area.
"Nuclear facilities in Isfahan province are completely secure," Tasnim news agency reported quoting "reliable sources".Â
Iran's air defense systems were activated in response to explosions near Isfahan's airport and an army base, as reported by state media.
This incident occurs amidst heightened tensions in the broader Middle East following Iran's unprecedented missile-and-drone attack on Israel. Over the weekend, Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles in a retaliatory strike following a suspected Israeli attack on its embassy compound in Syria.
Furthermore, Syrian media reported attacks on Syrian Army locations in southern governorates of As-Suwayda and Daraa. The attacks targeted Syrian military radar sites between Qarda and Izraa in Daraa, southern Syria, according to As-Suwayda24.
In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the nation's war cabinet have convened multiple times. Israel has vowed to retaliate against Iran's unprecedented weekend attack, raising concerns of further escalation after months of conflict in Gaza.
Iran's Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, issued a warning to Israel, urging against any military actions targeting Iranian interests. He emphasized that Iran has completed its "defense and counteroffensive measures" and called on the international community to prevent Israel from conducting any military operations against Iran.
Following the Israel-Hamas war, regional tensions grew as a result of a cross-border attack by Hamas that claimed 1,200 Israeli lives and abducted 250 more. In response, Israel launched an offensive in Gaza that, according to local health experts, has killed over 33,900 people and left massive amounts of destruction in its wake.
