2024-04-19 02:44:41
- Author, Writing
- role, BBC News World
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April 19, 2024, 02:43 GMT
Updated 1 time
Israel launched an attack on targets in Iran this Friday morning (local time), according to reports.
The American channel ABC reported that an official from that country informed it that an Israeli missile had hit Iran, and two American officials confirmed it to CBS, a partner of the BBC.
Three loud explosions were heard in Isfahan, in the center of the country and about four hours by car or 350 kilometers south of the Iranian capital, Tehran, according to state media.
The attack takes place less than a week after Iran launched attacks with more than 300 drones and missiles against Israel, which that country managed to repel with the Iron Dome, its anti-missile defense system, and support from allied countries such as the United States. .
Iranian state television reported that three drones were spotted in the sky above Isfahan around 00:30 GMT and were destroyed after the country’s air defense system was activated, according to Reuters.
Iran’s Fars news agency reported that an explosion occurred near the city’s airport.
Isfahan province is home to a large air base, a major missile production complex and several nuclear sites.
“Isfahan is really the heart of Iran’s nuclear program in terms of training, research and, as some would say, the development of Iran’s nuclear capability,” former US deputy secretary of state Mark Kimmitt told the BBC.
“So Israel would probably attack him because Israel’s biggest fear is not that they will continue to use missiles today but nuclear capability tomorrow,” he said.
The state news agency IRNA reported that the country’s air defense systems were activated in several provinces.
The BBC Persian service reported that several videos filmed by residents of Isfahan were broadcast during the early hours of the morning.
In a video posted on the Instagram account of the BBC Persian service, you can hear the sound of what appears to be anti-aircraft artillery.
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Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB, citing “reliable sources,” said the loud noises heard in several regions of the country were the result of activate air defenses to engage some unidentified mini drones“.
He said that Isfahan’s nuclear facilities were “absolutely safe.”
Flights over the cities of Isfahan, Shiraz and Tehran were suspended.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi had warned on Wednesday that Israel would face a “huge and harsh” response to the “smallest invasion”.
In the hours before Friday’s reports, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian warned that his country’s response to any retaliation from Israel would be “immediate and at the highest level.”
Amirabdollahian made the comments during an interview on CNN on Thursday.
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