Several explosions were reported early Friday near a military base in central Iran, with a senior US official citing an Israeli attack in retaliation for unprecedented drone and missile strikes against Israel last weekend. There is no information about a possible missile attack “so far”, the spokesperson for Iran’s space agency said. Follow live developments in the situation in the Middle East.
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6:08 a.m.: Flydubai airline cancels flights to Iran
“In accordance with the NOTAM published, our flights to Iran today (Friday) have been canceled,” indicates the Emirati airline Flydubai in a press release, referring to a “notice to air missions”, a message issued by a civil aviation authority to inform airlines of flight restrictions or dangers.
5:49 a.m.: “no major damage” reported in Iran after the explosions heard, according to the Irna agency
“Following the activation of air defense in certain regions of the country”, “no damage or large-scale explosion has been reported”, reports the official Iranian agency Irna, based on information reported by its journalists. She clarified that “no information indicating the firing of anti-missile defense systems” had been received.
5:05 a.m.: Warning sirens activated in northern Israel (army)
4:59 a.m.: nuclear facilities near Isfahan “totally safe”, says Tasnim agency
Nuclear facilities based in the Isfahan region are “completely safe”, the Tasnim agency said after reports of explosions in the region. “Reports published in some foreign media about an incident at these facilities are incorrect,” the agency added, citing “trusted sources.”
4:42 a.m.: drones shot down but no “missile attack so far”, assure Iranian authorities
Several drones were “successfully shot down” by Iranian air defenses early Friday, but there is no information about a possible missile attack “so far,” the carrier said. word of the Iranian space agency.
“At this time, there has been no air attack outside of Isfahan and in other regions of the country,” said Hossein Dalirian in a message posted on X, after information from American television reporting an attack by Israel against Iran. “Several micro aerial vehicles have been successfully shot down by the country’s air defense, there is no documentation of a missile attack so far.”
4:30 a.m.: Iran activated its air defense after reports of an explosion, assures Irna
Iran activated its air defense in several provinces early Friday after reports of at least one explosion in the center of the country, the official IRNA agency said.
Commercial flights were suspended from and to several airports, including Tehran, according to the Mehr agency, citing airport authorities.
4:19 a.m.: Israel launched an attack on Iran, according to American television
Israel launched an attack against Iran, in retaliation for Iranian strikes against its territory last weekend, several media outlets in the United States reported. ABC, CBS and CNN, among others, reported the strikes early Friday Middle East time, citing U.S. officials. CNN clarified that the Israeli attack did not target nuclear facilities, again reporting an American official.
For its part, the White House did not immediately comment.
4:12 a.m.: Iranian official television reports reports of “strong explosions” near Isfahan
Iranian state television reported early Friday on reports of “loud explosions” heard in the central province of Isfahan, indicating that the causes of the noise were not known. The information comes as Israel announced its intention to respond to Iran’s attack on its territory last weekend.
The Fars agency said three explosions were heard near the Iranian army’s Shekari airbase in the northwest of the central city of Isfahan. She said the windows of several administrative buildings on the base had been broken.
The United States vetoed full Palestinian membership in the United Nations in a Security Council vote on Thursday. The Palestinian Authority criticized this blockage.
A senior Iranian military official on Thursday warned Israel of the possibility of an attack on its nuclear sites, saying Iran was prepared to launch “powerful missiles” at Israeli nuclear facilities in retaliation.
The EU, the United States and Great Britain have strengthened their sanctions against Iran, which launched a drone and missile attack against Israeli territory on April 13.
The Israeli army carried out new deadly strikes on the besieged Gaza Strip devastated by more than six months of war, with UN chief Antonio Guterres deploring a “humanitarian hell” in the Palestinian territory.
Please note: the number of victims is provided by the Hamas-led Gaza Ministry of Health.
The ministry collects information provided by hospitals in the enclave and by the Palestinian Red Crescent.
The Health Ministry in Gaza does not indicate how the Palestinians were killed, whether by Israeli airstrikes and/or barrages or failed Palestinian rocket attacks. It describes all victims as victims of “Israeli aggression” and also does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
During the four wars and numerous skirmishes between Israel and Hamas, United Nations agencies regularly cited Health Ministry figures in their reports. The International Committee of the Red Cross and the Palestinian Red Crescent also use these figures.
In the aftermath of previous episodes of war, the United Nations Humanitarian Office published casualty figures based on its own research into medical records. The UN figures largely agree with those of the Gaza Ministry of Health, with a few differences.
To learn more about the reports of the Gaza Ministry of Health, Click here Or here.
France 24 with AP