Israel launched an attack deep in Iran early Friday morning, reportedly targeting a military facility close to the city of Isfahan.
Three Iranian sources confirmed to The New York Times that an airbase in Isfahan was targeted, while anonymous Israeli and U.S. officials were cited by outlets as saying that the IDF conducted the strike.
Iranian media denied any Israeli missile attack, claiming that the Islamic Republic had shot down drones in its airspace. Iran’s nuclear facilities were not hit, according to the U.N.’s atomic watchdog.
An Israeli official told the Washington Post that the assault “was intended to signal to Iran that Israel had the ability to strike inside the country.”
Jerusalem reportedly told the United States on Thursday that it planned to retaliate to Tehran’s massive drone and missile assault over the weekend within a 24- to 48-hour window.
There was no immediate comment from the Israel Defense Forces or the Prime Minister’s Office.
The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem issued an alert to government employees and their families restricting travel to the Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Beersheva regions out of “an abundance of caution following reports that Israel conducted a retaliatory strike inside Iran.”
The Iranian air defenses intercepted a suspicious object over the city of Isfahan this morning. pic.twitter.com/Z1mPdyNPC8
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) April 19, 2024
Early on Friday, the IDF also struck air defense systems in southern Syria, according to the SANA state-run news agency.
The Israeli military has attacked more than 50 targets belonging to Hezbollah and other Iran-backed terrorist groups in Syria since Oct. 7, in an ongoing effort to prevent further Iranian military entrenchment in the country.
Overnight on Saturday, Iran launched more than 300 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and drones at the Jewish state. The IDF said it and its military allies intercepted some 99% of the projectiles.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel would make its own decision on how to respond to Tehran’s unprecedented attack.
“I thank our friends for supporting Israel’s defense—support both in words and in deeds,” Netanyahu said ahead of a Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.
“They also have all kinds of suggestions and advice. I appreciate those, but I want to make it clear: We will make our own decisions, and the State of Israel will do everything necessary to defend itself,” he added.
Western governments have called on Israel to refrain from retaliating against Tehran, fearing the expansion of regional war.
U.S. President Joe Biden reportedly told Netanyahu during a phone call on Saturday that Washington would not participate in or support an Israeli retaliatory attack.
Israel’s Kan News public broadcaster reported this week that Netanyahu had backtracked on a pre-approved military response against Iran due to pressure from Biden.
Unnamed Egyptian officials told the Qatari Al-Araby Al-Jadeed news outlet on Wednesday that Washington had agreed to back an Israeli operation in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah in exchange for Jerusalem forgoing a major strike on the Islamic Republic.
In January 2023, Israel reportedly conducted a drone attack on a production facility for Shahed-136 kamikaze UAVs near Isfahan.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei turned 85 on April 19.
