What happened in Isfahan? Here is What We Know

With the early hours of Friday, April 19, 2024, explosions rocked the Iranian city of Isfahan, followed by statements about news of an Israeli attack targeting the Islamic Republic, as part of the expected Israeli response to Iran’s targeting of Israel with hundreds of missiles and drones in retaliation for the bombing of its consulate in Syria by Tel Aviv.

Where did the explosions occur?

According to reports from Tehran, the explosions occurred in the city of Isfahan, which contains nuclear facilities and an important military base, in addition to Isfahan International Airport.

However, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that no damage occurred at Iranian nuclear sites in the attack, which may signal that the attacks may not have achieved their objectives.

The agency said in a post on X that it continues to closely monitor the situation and calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, emphasizing that nuclear facilities should never be targets in military conflicts.

The method of carrying out the attack or where the drones came from has not yet been clarified, but an Iranian political analyst told state television that the small drones shot down by Isfahan’s air defenses were launched by “infiltrators from inside Iran,” after sources said Israel had launched an attack on Iranian territory.

What are the reactions in Israel?

No official Israeli comment has been issued as of the writing of this article about the attack, but The Washington Post quoted an Israeli official as saying, “Our army conducted an airstrike inside Iran in response to its missile and drone attacks on Israel,” adding that “the aim of the strike is to send a signal to Tehran that we have the capability to strike inside Iran.”

Following that, Israeli Defense Minister Itamar Ben Gvir tweeted from his official X page, saying: “Weak,” seemingly commenting on the attack that targeted Iran.

At the same time, Likud Knesset member Tali Gottlieb, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, hinted at Israel’s attack on Iran amid Tel Aviv’s official non-endorsement of the operation.

She said in a post on X on Friday: “Good morning, dear people of Israel… A morning held high with pride… Israel is a strong state… We hope to regain deterrence strength.”

Upon news of the attack on Iran, Israeli Channel 12 said, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has asked its embassies worldwide to refrain from making statements about reports of an attack in Iran.”

The Hebrew-language Channel Kan also quoted American media as saying, “Israeli large aircraft were not part of the attack, and it appears that only one location was bombed.”

What did Tehran say? In response, the Iranian news agency IRNA quoted an Iranian army commander as saying, “The sound of the explosion in Isfahan was the result of the air defense intercepting a suspicious object without recording any losses or damage,” while a source told Mehr News Agency that there was no attack on the airbase in Isfahan.

Earlier, Iranian Space Agency spokesman Hussein Dalirian said on X that several drones “were successfully shot down by the country’s air defense, and there are no reports of missile attacks currently.”

What is the impact of the strikes on the region? These events have created a state of confusion in the region. The US Embassy in Israel issued a security alert to its employees on Friday, urging them to be cautious following reports of an Israeli strike on Iran.

It said in the alert: “Out of extreme caution following reports that Israel has launched a retaliatory strike inside Iran, US government employees and their families have been prohibited from personal travel outside Greater Tel Aviv, including Herzliya, Netanya, and even Judea, Jerusalem, and Beersheba, until further notice.”

It added: “The US Embassy reminds American citizens of the ongoing need for caution and increased personal security awareness, as security incidents often occur without prior warning.”

The developments in Iran also affected civilian air traffic, with flight tracking data showing that airlines quickly changed their flight paths over Iran and diverted flights to alternate airports or returned aircraft to their departure points on Friday after the airspace was closed.

In Iran, Tehran closed its airports in the capital, Shiraz, and Isfahan after the attack, allowing flights to avoid the western part of its airspace for a few hours after the attack, according to Flight Radar 24, before reopening it at 04:45 GMT.

Since Tuesday, 1,478 flights to and from Dubai have been canceled, accounting for nearly 30 percent of total flights, according to Flight Radar 24.

Many Western and Asian airlines already avoid flying over Iran and its airspace before the Israeli attack, which came days after missile and drone attacks on Israel.