WASHINGTON and DUBAI –
Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter said, as Iranian state media reported early Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike against Israel.
A source told Reuters that the United States was not involved but that Israel notified it before the attack.
Iran’s Fars news agency reported that three explosions were heard near a military base in the central city of Isfahan. An Iranian official told Reuters that there was no missile attack and that the explosions were the result of the activation of Iran’s air defense systems.
Iranian state television said that shortly after midnight “three drones were observed in the sky over Isfahan. The air defense system was activated and destroyed these drones in the sky.”
The broadcaster later said that the situation in Isfahan was normal and that no ground explosions had occurred.
The Israeli military did not comment on the reports.
Israel had said it would retaliate against Iran’s attack over the weekend, which involved hundreds of drones and missiles, in response to an alleged Israeli attack on its embassy compound in Syria. Most of the Iranian drones and missiles were shot down before reaching Israeli territory.
Analysts and observers have expressed concern about the risks of the war between Israel and Gaza spreading to the rest of the region.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi had warned Israel before Friday’s attack that Tehran would give a “severe response” to any attack on its territory.
Iran told the United Nations Security Council on Thursday that Israel “must be forced to stop any further military adventurism against our interests,” as the U.N. secretary-general warned that the Middle East was at a “moment of maximum danger.” .
Asian stock and bond yields sank on Friday, while safe-haven currencies gold and crude oil rose. Brent crude futures rose two percent to $88.86 a barrel, the dollar gained broadly, up one percent and S&P 500 futures fell one percent.
Iranian state television said the nuclear facilities where Iran has been carrying out work – which Tehran says are peaceful but which the West believes are aimed at building a weapon – were unharmed.
The Natanz nuclear site, the centerpiece of Iran’s uranium enrichment program, is located in Isfahan province.
Airports in Tehran, Shiraz and Isfahan were closed until 7am GMT, subject to extension, and flights have been authorized from the western half of Iran, tracking website FlightRadar24 reported.
Some Tehran-bound flights on Turkish Airlines and Emirates were returning to their origin, FlightRadar24 said in X. An Iran Air flight from Rome to Tehran was diverting to Ankara, Turkey, it showed.
FlightRadar24 showed that Emirates, flydubai, Turkish Air, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi and Belavia were among the airlines still using the part of Iran’s airspace that remained open on Friday morning.
Israel’s assault on Gaza began after the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people, according to Israeli counts. Israel’s military offensive has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the local Health Ministry.
Iranian-backed groups have declared support for the Palestinians and launched attacks from Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq.