Iranian state media confirmed an attack by Israel in the early hours of Friday and said the “sabotage” operation involving drones had failed.

Israel launched a retaliatory strike on Iran following last week’s missile and drone barrage from Tehran, according to two US officials, though media from both countries appeared to downplay the severity of the incident.

An explosion was heard early Friday in Isfahan, Iran’s third-biggest city, Fars news agency reported. Nuclear facilities located there are safe, state television and the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog said.

The Israeli government, which rarely comments on specific military actions linked to Iran, hasn’t confirmed the strike.

Flights were suspended in Isfahan and the Iranian cities of Tehran and Shiraz as well as airports across the country’s western borders, but those restrictions were soon eased.

The incident follows days of frantic diplomacy from the US and European nations in which they tried to convince Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to respond too aggressively, if at all, to Saturday night’s Iranian attack. ⠀

Isfahan is home to around 2 million people and several military bases and facilities. It’s believed to have been one of several launch sites for Iran’s attack on Israel on Saturday night.

Archive link

  • TacoButtPlug
    link
    fedilink
    English
    1528 days ago

    Didn’t the US just “give Rafah” to Isntreal as an agreement that Isrealhell won’t retaliate on Iran?

    • @Woozythebear@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      1128 days ago

      Yup and Israel will do both and Biden won’t do anything about it and will continue to fund them and protect them unconditionally.

      • Rentlar
        link
        fedilink
        527 days ago

        The US will probably say that “nuh uh, that attack doesn’t count” and allow the Rafah assault anyway.

  • Chariotwheel
    link
    fedilink
    927 days ago

    So Israel did the same thing as Iran, an attack that signals strength but isn’t really a serious attack, but Iran actually ended the current issue here. I wonder if that’s a level of finger too, that Israel couldn’t stop without having the last word, but Iran actually could.

    Both countries don’t really want direct war with each other at this point, and Israel specifically has its hands full with Gaza and Hisbollah right now, its allies urging it to tone down the carnage and they have to snarl at an Iran that isn’t even willing to fight against the US wishes. I can only take from this that Netanyahu that war will end and he has to take his hat.