Sources claim that Israel strikes Iran’s air base, and drones have been seen above Isfahan

According to reports, Israel conducted an assault on Iranian territory on Friday. This was the latest exchange of barbs between the two bitter enemies, whose long-running covert warfare has come to light and threatens to escalate tensions in the area.

Although explosions were reported by Iranian media, an Iranian official informed Reuters that air defense systems were to blame. According to state media, three drones were shot down above the Iranian capital of Isfahan.

Early on Friday, neither the military nor the government of Israel said anything.

Days after Iran launched an unprecedented assault on Israel with a barrage of drones and missiles, a person familiar with the issue told Reuters that the United States was notified before Israel’s attack. Those were shot down in most cases.

Following the most recent wave of violence that was triggered by the airstrike that was blamed on Israel on April 1st on the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus, Washington and other international powers put pressure on Israel to either refrain from responding or to ensure that any additional retaliation was limited in order to prevent a wider conflict.

Iran’s backing of the terrorist Palestinian organization Hamas, whose attack into Israel on October 7 sparked Israel’s invasion of Gaza, was a factor in the timing of that strike.

Shortly after midnight on Friday, Iranian state TV said that “three drones were observed in the sky over Isfahan.” These drones in the skies were taken down by the air defense system once it activated.”

State TV cited senior army commander Siavosh Mihandoust as claiming that a “suspicious object” had been hit by air defense systems.

Prior to Friday’s incident, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi had issued a warning to Israel, stating that Tehran will respond to any attack on its land with a “severe response”.

On Thursday, Iran informed the UN Security Council that Israel “must be compelled to stop any further military adventurism against our interests” while the secretary-general of the UN issued a dire warning that the Middle East was at a “moment of maximum peril.” In Asia trading, safe-haven currencies, gold, and crude oil surged as shares and bond rates fell. Concerns over potential disruptions to Middle East supply caused Brent futures to rise as high as 4.2%% before retreating somewhat. U.S. stock futures were 1% down, while MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific equities fell 2% after plunging as much as 2.6% earlier.

The nuclear facilities where Iran has been working—which Tehran claims is benign but which the West suspects is intended to construct a weapon—were uninjured, according to Iran’s national media.

Isfahan province is home to Iran’s main uranium enrichment facility, the Natanz nuclear complex.

According to FlightRadar24, Iran blocked aircraft from its western airspace for a few hours after the incident and shuttered its airports in Tehran, Shiraz, and Isfahan. Airports and airspace were reopened around 04:45 GMT.

After the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people, according to Israeli estimates, Israel launched its offensive on Gaza. According to the local health ministry, approximately 33,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza as a result of Israel’s military onslaught.

Organizations with Iranian backing have said they support the Palestinians and are attacking from Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq.