The Iranian air defense according to the Iranian space agency several small drones “successfully shot down”. According to Iranian state media, there was no rocket attack on the country.
Several US media, however, reported of one or more Israeli missilesthat attacked a target in Iran. The Pentagon did not initially confirm the reports. The Israeli military has not yet commented on the incident.
Iran reports no damage
Iran’s state media has rejected such reports of missile attacks. The state news agency reported that it was not a widespread attack Irna on Friday morning. Three drones were discovered over the sky of Isfahan, the air defense system was activated and the drones were destroyed. There was no explosion on the ground. “A few hours ago, several small flying objects were spotted and hit in the sky of Isfahan,” a reporter said in a live broadcast on state television.
Originally it was said, Explosions could be heard near the city of Isfahan in the center of the country. The Iranian News Agency FARS reported three explosions near an army base. An Iranian government official told the news agency Reuters, the explosion was triggered by air defense. There was no rocket attack, he emphasized.
No damage to Iranian nuclear facilities
According to a senior commander in the Iranian army, no damage was caused in Iran. Air traffic has resumed. At the same time, the Iranian government rejected reports that the Security Council had met for an emergency meeting.
Important facilities for the Iranian defense industry are located in Isfahan. The country’s largest nuclear research center is also located in the cultural city. According to the radio, there was no danger to the nuclear facilities there. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has now confirmed that there was no damage to Iranian nuclear facilities.
US media: Israel attacked Iran
According to consistent US media reports, Israel has attacked Iran. The broadcasters ABC News, MSNBC as well as Fox News and other media, citing US government officials, reported that Israel carried out a military operation in Iran on Friday night in response to Iranian airstrikes over the weekend.
Several US media outlets reported one or more Israeli missiles attacking a target in Iran. The Pentagon did not initially confirm the reports.
Fox News: “Limited Attack”
Fox News reported, citing a military source, that it was a “limited attack.” The USA was not involved and the Israelis informed the US government in advance. On Thursday there was a conversation between high-ranking representatives of the US government and the Israeli side in which, according to the White House, Iran was also discussed.
CNN said nuclear facilities in Iran were not the target of the attacks. Israel has demonstrated that Iran’s air defense is no match for Israel’s.
The US broadcaster ABC News Citing an unnamed US government official, he said Israeli missiles had hit a target in Iran. The White House and the Pentagon had no immediate comment.
Warning sirens in Israel – false alarm
According to the Israeli military, warning sirens are wailing in northern Israel. However, this was a false alarm.
Iran attacked Israel with hundreds of drones, cruise missiles and rockets on Sunday night. The background was a suspected Israeli-led attack on the Iranian embassy compound in the Syrian capital Damascus, in which two generals of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard were killed at the beginning of April. Israel had announced that it wanted to respond to the Iranian attack.
Iran’s foreign minister warned Israel
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hussein Amirabdollahian warned Israel clearly against military action against his country before the recent events. “In the event that the Israeli regime again resorts to adventurism and acts against Iran’s interests, our next response will be immediate and at the highest level,” he said in an interview on Thursday at the UN Security Council headquarters in New York US television channel CNN.
Iran hopes that Israel will not repeat “the previous egregious mistake,” Amirabdollahian said. He was referring to the airstrike on Iran’s embassy compound in Damascus on April 1. Israel had also repelled the Iranian retaliatory attack with the help of partners in the region.
The attack was carried out as a “legitimate defense under international law,” Amirabdollahian told the UN Security Council. It is feared that a major Israeli counterattack could lead to a conflagration in the Middle East. It was therefore eagerly awaited to see how far the G7 foreign ministers meeting on the Italian Mediterranean island of Capri would go with criticism of Iran and the announcement of additional sanctions against the Islamic Republic in their final statement this Friday.
Oil prices rose sharply
Oil prices rose sharply on Friday following reports of an Israeli attack on Iran. After a sharp price jump last night, prices fell slightly again in the morning.
A barrel (159 liters) of North Sea Brent for delivery in June cost 88.66 US dollars (83.02 euros) in the morning. That was $1.55 more than the day before. During the night the price temporarily climbed above the $90 mark. The price of a barrel of US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for delivery in May rose by $1.80 to $84.53.
