CNN
—
Israel has launched a military attack inside Iran, a U.S. official told CNN on Friday, a potentially dangerous escalation in the rapidly escalating Middle East conflict that Iranian officials have so far sought to quell. It's here.
Another senior U.S. official said Thursday that the United States received advance notice of an attack on Israel planned in the coming days, but did not support the response.
State media reported early Friday that Iranian air defense systems were activated in multiple locations after three explosions were heard near a main military air base near the Iranian city of Isfahan.
Iranian officials said air defense forces intercepted three drones but there were no reports of missile attacks.
Iran has not identified the source of the attack.
State news agencies reported that sites linked to Iran's nuclear program were “completely safe” and that the attack appeared to have a limited scope.
Senior military commander Brigadier General Michandoust told the state-run Tasnim news agency that there was “no damage” and that the noise heard during the night was due to air defense systems targeting “suspicious objects”.
Iranian media appeared to further minimize the scale of the attack late Friday, broadcasting peaceful scenes from Isfahan of residents walking in parks and visiting sights. Traffic conditions were reported to be normal and the airport had reopened after flights were briefly canceled or canceled early Friday morning.
Reports of Friday's attack came hours after Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdullahian told CNN that Israel would respond “immediately and at the maximum level” to any further military action against Iran. Ta.
He further pointed out that this warning was conveyed to the White House through the Swiss embassy in Tehran, adding: “If the Israeli regime makes another serious mistake, our response will be decisive and decisive, and we will take action against them.'' “It would be a shame for us,” he added.
Tensions across the Middle East remain dangerous following Iran's unprecedented direct attack on Israel late Saturday. The attack, in which Iran fired more than 300 drones and cruise missiles at Israel, follows an Israeli attack on an Iranian diplomatic compound in the Syrian capital Damascus on April 1, killing a top commander and several others. It was done in retaliation for what he had done. .
Separately, Syrian state media SANA reported on Friday, citing military sources, that “material losses” occurred in southern Syria after an Israeli attack targeting “our air defense positions in the southern region.” was reported. The Israeli military said it does not comment on foreign media reports.
The Israeli military said Friday that it could not comment when asked by CNN about reports of the explosion in Iran.
Israel's actions in Iran are the latest escalation in a region reeling from Israel's devastating war in Gaza following a brutal Hamas attack on October 7. The attack left more than 1,200 people dead, most of them civilians, and more than 200 taken hostage.
Israeli shelling and siege of Gaza has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians, caused widespread destruction in the enclave and left more than 1 million people facing “catastrophic” levels of starvation, Palestinian officials say. caused a humanitarian crisis.
A senior US official told CNN that before Friday's attack on Israel, the US expected the country would not target Iranian civilian or nuclear facilities.
CNN previously reported that Israel told the US that the scope of its response would be limited. U.S. intelligence agencies are considering a narrow and limited attack inside Iran, as Israel feels it must respond with some kind of dynamic action given the unprecedented scale of the Iranian attack. he suggested.
The scope of the target “has not been precisely specified, but it is clear that nuclear facilities and civilian facilities are not in that category,” the official added.
Following Saturday's attack on Iran, Israel's Western allies rallied to their defense, calling for restraint.
US President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Iran's attack should be considered a victory because it largely failed and demonstrated Israel's defense capabilities.
A senior administration official previously told CNN that Biden had already made it clear to Netanyahu that the United States would not engage in any offensive operations against Iran in response.
Benny Gantz, a key member of Israel's war cabinet, had called for a swift response to the attack, two Israeli officials told CNN, adding that the longer Israel delays its response, the harder it will be to garner international support. He argued that it would be.
Some hardline officials are taking further action. Israel's Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir said Israel should “go crazy” over this.
Arab countries, including those friendly to Israel, have expressed concern about a possible escalation of attacks by Iran, but have not condemned it outright.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
