Israel Reportedly Strikes Iran

Details are still developing as Iran fires air defense batteries
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Apr 18, 2024 11:42 PM CDT
Sources Say Israel Launched Strike in Iran
An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man dips cooking utensils in boiling water to remove remains of leaven in preparation for the upcoming Jewish holiday of Passover in the ultra-Orthodox neighbourhood Mea Shearim, in Jerusalem, Thursday, April 18, 2024.   (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Iran fired air defense batteries Friday amid reports of explosions near a major air base at the city of Isfahan, the state-run IRNA news agency reported. Per the AP, it remained unclear if the country was under attack, but tensions remain high after Iran's unprecedented missile-and-drone attack on Israel. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, sources tell outlets including Fox News, CNN, and NBC News that Israel indeed carried out a "limited" strike inside Iran, and that the amount of damage done was still being assessed. IRNA said the defenses fired across several provinces. It did not elaborate on what caused the batteries to fire, though people across the area reported hearing the sounds. "The defense is activated in response to an object that is likely to be a drone," according to a source who spoke to a local outlet cited by CNN.

There were no immediate reports of casualties, per Al Jazeera. Natanz, where one of Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities is located, is in Isfahan; it's not clear whether it was hit, but state media says nuclear facilities in the city are "completely secure," and sources say the target was not nuclear. Commercial flights in the area were being diverted or suspended. Israel previously vowed to respond to Iran's unprecedented weekend attack, leaving the region bracing for further escalation after months of fighting in Gaza. Allies have urged Israel to hold back on any response to the attack that could spiral. The US on Thursday vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for a state of Palestine. The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 12 in favor, the United States opposed and two abstentions.

(More Iran stories.)

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