Tehran confirmed having shot down “three small unknown flying objects” in the province of Isfahan, where a military base is located. If these shots are attributed to Israel, nothing has been confirmed by the Jewish state and Iran.
Neither Iran nor Israel have yet confirmed shots coming from the Jewish state. Tehran reported three explosions that occurred at dawn this Friday, April 19, near a military base in the province of Isfahan, in the center of the country. According to NBC and CNN, Israel would have warned Washington of its response, but once again nothing has been confirmed. These strikes come a week after the hundreds of missiles and drones fired by Iran last weekend, most of which were intercepted. Tehran then justified a response to the attack on April 1 against the Iranian consulate in Damascus, largely attributed to Israel.
Iran claimed to have shot down this Friday morning “three small unknown flying objects” in the skies of Isfahan, ensuring that there were no “nothing to fear”. Their air defense was activated immediately. According to state television, “loud explosions” were heard in Isfahan province, but no major damage was reported. Central Iran is home to several of Iran’s known nuclear sites.
The nuclear facilities based in the Isfahan region are “totally safe”, indicated the Tasnim agency. They “are completely safe and no accidents have been reported there”, also underlined the official Iranian agency Irna. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (OSDH), Israel first destroyed Syrian air defense systems. Information confirmed by the Syrian Ministry of Defense: “At around 2:55 a.m. today, the “Israeli” enemy launched a missile attack from northern occupied Palestine, targeting our air defense sites in the southern region.”
If the Jewish state had considered carrying out rapid retaliatory strikes, it would ultimately have reconsidered its plans, Israeli and American media said. According to Israeli public broadcaster Kan, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided not to implement pre-approved plans for retaliatory strikes in the event of an attack, after discussions with US President Joe Biden.
No confirmation on the origin of the missiles
Tehran, which reacted, does not speak of the explosions and does not mention Israel in any of these press releases. The Iranian Tasnim agency claims this Friday, citing “knowledgeable sources”that there was “no reports of an attack from abroad.” A senior Iranian official says there is no immediate response plan at the moment. For its part, the Hebrew State has not yet reacted through official channels.
On his account “Dardaleh!” colloquial Hebrew adjective that can be translated as “null” Or “shabby”. The publication of the far-right leader, who criticizes a reaction that was too minimal, sparked an avalanche of criticism on social networks as well as on television channels. Labor MP Naama Lazimi mentioned“a reaction worthy of the national arsonist”. For Shaiel Ben-Ephraim, academic and host of a geopolitics podcast, Itamar Ben Gvir “confirms the Israeli operation and ridicules it.”
International reactions
“Nuclear facilities should never be the target of military attacks,” warned the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), confirming the absence of damage to Iranian nuclear sites, and calling “everyone exercise the greatest restraint”. In reaction to the events of the morning, the European Union, via the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, affirmed that“it is absolutely necessary that the region remains stable and that all parties refrain from any further action” and called for de-escalation in the region. Guest on Sud Radio, the French Minister for Europe, Jean-Noël Barrot, called “all partners in the region for de-escalation and restraint”. While welcoming the Lebanese Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, and the commander-in-chief of the army at midday, Emmanuel Macron should also react. China and the United Kingdom have opposed any action leading to escalation in the region. Oman, which played a mediating role in the Middle East, was the only Gulf country to react and condemned “the Israeli attack” against Iran.
As soon as the explosions on Iranian territory were announced, the American embassy in Israel ordered its employees and their families this Friday to limit their travel within the country. Australia also urged its nationals to leave Israel and the Palestinian territories, citing a “high threat of military reprisals and terrorist attacks.” Canberra had already called on its citizens to avoid these two areas and, if concerned, to leave.