Israel strikes back Iran on the birthday of Iran’s supreme leader, Khamenei, aged 84. Reports confirm that Israel launched a retaliatory strike against a site in Iran early Friday morning. However, an Iranian official dismissed the attack as a “failed and humiliating” drone strike.
The strike occurred on April 19, coinciding with the birthday of Iranian supreme leader Khamenei. Several media outlets, including ABC News, CBS News, and NPR, cite unnamed U.S. officials confirming the Israeli military’s launch of one or more missiles at Iran.
Israeli officials had previously alerted U.S. officials about their plans to attack Iran within the next 24-48 hours, according to Bloomberg News. However, a senior U.S. official told CNN that the U.S. did not endorse Israel’s planned retaliatory action, despite being informed.
Details about the strike, such as its precise location and the extent of the damage, remain unclear. However, FARS, a news agency linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, reported explosions near Isfahan, a city about 340 km south of Tehran, which hosts crucial military sites, including a major airbase and nuclear facilities. Later, FARS clarified that the nuclear facility was unharmed, according to “informed sources.”
Iranian state-affiliated news agency IRNA reported that Iran’s air defense system was activated in several provinces after explosions were heard in and around Isfahan. The source of the explosion was identified as a “defensive shot” fired by the air defense in Tabriz, a city northwest of Isfahan, after spotting a “suspicious object.” IRNA noted that Tabriz remained peaceful.
Hossein Dalirian, a spokesperson for the Iranian space agency, refuted reports of a foreign missile attack, stating that three “micro birds” were shot down.
This apparent Israeli retaliation follows Iran’s launch of numerous drones and missiles at Israel over the weekend, most of which were intercepted by Israel’s defense systems and those of its allies and neighbors.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian warned earlier that if Israel takes action against Iran’s interests, Iran’s response would be immediate and at a maximum level.
Israel missile strike targeted a site in Iran
Explosions in Isfahan in central Iran, in the As-Suwayda Governorate of southern Syria, and in the Baghdad area and Babil Governorate of Iraq pic.twitter.com/vFPVeEGGuU
— Sumit (@SumitHansd) April 19, 2024