Nuclear sites in Isfahan are safe, Iran state media says
State-backed Iranian media FARS reported that nuclear sites in Isfahan are safe, amid an Israeli strike on the country.
“Some reports from foreign news agencies about incidents in these facilities is incorrect,” the news agency, aligned with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported.
Isfahan is in central Iran. A military factory there was attacked in 2023.
Iran’s weekend strike was country’s first direct military assault on Israel
U.S. not involved in Israeli strike in Iran
The U.S. was not involved in Israel’s strike in Iran, a source familiar with the situation confirmed, adding that there was a pre-notification to the U.S. from the Israelis about the strike.
No comment from Netanyahu’s office
A source in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office declined to comment on the reported strike in Iran.
The Israel Defense Forces spokesman’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Flights suspended from Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz, Iran state news says
Flights in the Iranian cities of Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz were suspended Friday morning, the state-run IRNA news agency reported amid reports of a possible strike in the country.
“The flights out of these airports have not been canceled up to this point, they have been suspended. Passengers before leaving, check flight information,” the news agency said on Telegram.
Israel has carried out operation in Iran tonight, source says
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A person familiar with the situation told NBC News that Israel carried out an operation in Iran tonight.
Separately, Israeli officials notified U.S. officials earlier today that a response was coming.
The Israeli Embassy in Washington declined to comment on whether Israel has launched an attack on Iran.
The CIA declined to comment.
U.S. has said it will defend Israel, not engage in offensive operations against Iran
President Joe Biden told Israeli leaders that while the U.S. commitment to defend Israel is ironclad, the U.S. would not participate in offensive operations against Iran, a senior administration official told NBC News.
U.S. officials have told NBC News that Washington was concerned about Israel’s responding quickly without thinking through the potential fallout.
Iran’s foreign minister warned today of response to any force
Iran “will not hesitate a bit to assert its inherent right to give a decisive and proper response” to any use of force against it by Israel, Iran’s foreign affairs minister told the United Nations today.
Hossein Amirabdollahian said that Iran’s attack Saturday on Israel, which he said was a forced response to Israel’s April 1 attack on is embassy in Syria, was over.
“Iran’s legitimate defense and countermeasures have been concluded,” Amirabdollahian said. “Therefore the Israeli regime, the terrorist Israeli regime, must be compelled to stop any further military adventurism against our interests.”
“Certainly in case of any use of force by the Israeli regime and violating our sovereignty, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate a bit to assert its inherent right to give a decisive and proper response to it, to make the regime regret its actions,” he said.
Iran’s attack by drones and missiles was mostly thwarted, but some damage was done in Israel, officials said.
Two Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders — Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi and Gen. Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi — were killed in the Israeli strike on an Iranian consular building in Syria. Five other Revolutionary Guard members were also killed.
