Was this the Israeli counterattack? Since the massive Iranian attacks on Israel last weekend, the question has been how and when Israel would respond. Now there may have been an answer: According to consistent US media reports, Israel attacked Iran in the Isfahan region. There are no reports of damage, and Iranian state media deny a widespread attack. The Israeli government is also silent about the incident. What is known so far.
How big was the alleged attack?
What seems certain is that the scale of the night’s actions was nowhere near as massive as the Iranian attack over the weekend, when hundreds of rockets, cruise missiles and drones flew towards Israel, prompting Iran to attack its embassy compound in Syria April responded. Citing US government officials, several American media outlets are now reporting that Israel has attacked a target in Iran with one or more missiles. The Fox News channel refers to a source in the US military and speaks of a “limited attack”. Israel and the US Department of Defense have not yet officially commented.
Iranian media downplayed the incident and dismissed reports of rocket attacks. It is not a widespread attack, according to the state news agency Irna. It was emphasized on television that the situation in Isfahan was “normal”. The Iranian government denied reports that the country’s Security Council had met for an emergency meeting. Officially, there are no Iranian accusations against Israel. The New York Times however, quotes anonymous Iranian government officials who speak of an Israeli attack.
How and where was the attack?
Iranian media reports on an explosion near the city of Isfahan, not far from a military base. However, it was triggered by anti-aircraft fire. There was no explosion on the ground. “We had no damage or incidents,” a general in the province was quoted as saying. Shortly after midnight, three drones were seen in the sky in the region and destroyed, state television reported. Drones were also shot down in the Tabriz region, about 800 kilometers northwest of Isfahan, reports New York Times citing Iranian government officials.
They told the US newspaper that the small drones over Isfahan may have been launched from inside Iran. The radar systems did not detect any unknown flying objects entering Iranian airspace from outside. The Iranian television station Press TV reported, citing informed sources, that there had been no attack from abroad on Isfahan or other Iranian cities. “The discussion is leaning more towards infiltration than attack,” a senior Iranian government official told Reuters.
According to media reports, Isfahan was one of several points of origin for Iranian drones and missiles during the Iranian attack on Israel at the weekend. In addition to the military base, there are also important facilities for the Iranian defense industry in the region. The country’s largest nuclear research center is also located in Isfahan. According to state broadcasting, there was no danger to the nuclear facilities there. The International Atomic Energy Agency also confirmed that Iran’s nuclear facilities were not damaged. Airspace over parts of Iran was restricted for some time overnight. Flights were diverted.
Has the US participated in attacks?
When Iran attacked Israel over the weekend, the US intercepted dozens of drones and missiles, playing a major role in protecting Israel. They are the country’s most important ally and are often in close contact with the government there. After the Iranian attack, the US government advocated de-escalation and made it clear that it would not take part in a counterattack. Fox News, citing US government representatives, is now reporting that the Israelis informed the US in advance about their actions, but that the United States was not involved. CNN reported that the US government had not given the “green light”.
Is this the feared escalation of the conflict?
It is still unclear whether the night’s events will result in a wildfire in the region. After its attacks, Iran has repeatedly warned Israel not to retaliate, otherwise it will retaliate much more strongly. CNN military expert Mark MacCarley interpreted the alleged Israeli action primarily as a signal to Iran. “The Israelis had to retaliate, but that retaliation also carried a message: Yes, we can do it. Don’t do it again. If you do it again, chaos will ensue.”
The situation has so far been downplayed in the Iranian media. So far, the Islamic Republic is not planning a counterattack, the anonymous government official told Reuters. It is not clear who was behind the incident. “The foreign source of the incident has not been confirmed.” Whether the regime in Tehran really accepts this will become clearer when the country’s leadership around Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks publicly.
With material from the news agencies dpa and Reuters