An apparent attack by the Israeli military’s drones has targeted a major air base near the city of Isfahan, activating Iranian air defenses in the early hours of Friday morning.
This strike comes just days after Iran’s unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on Israel, further escalating the already high tensions in the region.
No Iranian official has publicly acknowledged the possibility of an Israeli attack, the timing of this incident is significant. However, the timing is significant. It follows some Israeli politicians’ hints about the IDF’s involvement in an attack, and it coincides with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s 85th birthday.
According to state television reports, air defense batteries were fired in several provinces in response to reports of drones in the air. Iranian army commander Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi stated that crews targeted several flying objects, with some suggesting the drones may have been commercially available quadcopters.
Tasnim, a news agency, released a video from a reporter in the southeastern Zerdenjan area of Isfahan, near the “nuclear energy mountain.” The footage showed two different anti-aircraft gun positions, with details corresponding to known features of Iran’s Uranium Conversion Facility at Isfahan.
Isfahan is also home to sites associated with Iran’s nuclear program, including the underground Natanz enrichment site. The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has said that there is “no damage” to Iran’s nuclear sites following the incident.
The apparent attack has sparked concerns about the conflict escalating further across the Middle East, with the British military warning ships in the region of increased drone activity in the skies. As the situation unfolds, the world watches anxiously.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.