Israel is reportedly attacking Iran

IIsrael launched a retaliatory strike against a site in Iran early Friday morning local time, US officials confirmed to multiple media outlets, although an Iranian official described the attack as “failed and humiliating“Drone attack. (Syria too reported a simultaneous attack by Israel.)

ABC News, CBS News, NPR and others have quoted unnamed U.S. officials as reporting that one or more missiles were fired by the Israeli military at Iran. Citing two unnamed U.S. officials, Bloomberg News reported that Israeli officials had already warned U.S. officials on Thursday that they planned to attack Iran in the next 24 to 48 hours. An unnamed senior U.S. official also told CNN that the U.S. had been warned about Israel’s planned retaliation, a response that the U.S. “did not support,” the official said. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Friday that the U.S. told G7 ministers at their summit in Italy that they had been informed about the drones by Israel “at the last minute.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken declined to say at a news conference after the summit whether the U.S. had been informed of the attack in advance or to take further questions about it from reporters.

“I will not comment on this other than to say that the United States has not been involved in any offensive operations,” he said, adding that the G7 is focused on de-escalating tensions.

In his opening remarks, Blinken said: “The G7 condemned Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel.” Last Saturday night, Iran, with the help of the US and others, fired more than 300 munitions into Israel, 99% of which were intercepted by Israel’s defense systems .

“We are committed to Israel’s security,” Blinken continued. “We are also committed to de-escalation and trying to end these tensions.”

Iran’s foreign minister has called on some of his counterparts to condemn an ​​April 1 attack on an Iranian embassy building in Syria that killed senior Iranian officials, which Iran blamed on Israel and which it responded to with rocket fire. Pentagon officials said Israel did not inform them of its attack on the embassy building and that the United States was not involved. Israel has not publicly acknowledged the attack.

An unnamed Israeli official said Washington Post that the attack was intended to send a message to Iran that Israel had the ability to attack within the country.

Details of the strike, including its scope and the extent of damage, remain unclear. FARS, a news agency managed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported that explosions occurred near Isfahan, a city about 340 km away. south of Tehran, which is home to important military sites, including a large air base and nuclear facilities. It clarified later that the nuclear facility was completely safe according to “informed sources” and the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed There was no damage to Iran’s nuclear sites.

Iranian state-affiliated news agency IRNA reported that Iran’s air defense system was activated in the skies of several provinces after explosions were heard in and around Isfahan. The source of the explosion was a “defensive shot” fired after air defense saw a “suspicious object,” IRNA, in Tabriz, a city northwest of Isfahan reportedadding that there was “complete peace” in the city.

Hossein Dalirian, a spokesman for the Iranian space agency, said on X that reports of a foreign missile attack were “not true” and that this was the case three “micro birds” that were shot down.

“So far, no large-scale hits and explosions caused by an aerial threat have been reported,” he said IRNAwhile state broadcasters have shown videos showing seemingly normal life in Isfahan – although their credibility is questionable after they were found to be spreading misinformation just earlier this week.

The apparent Israeli retaliation comes just days after Iran fired hundreds of drones and missiles into Israel over the weekend, most of which were intercepted by Israel’s defense systems and those of its allies and neighbors. The weekend attack sparked widespread fears of a sharp escalation in the conflict as regional tensions have risen in the wake of Israel’s war in Gaza. As world leaders urged Israel to refrain from counterattacking, Iran said it was considering the matter.completed.”

In recent days, foreign governments concerned about increasing violence in the Middle East have warned their citizens against traveling to or staying in the region. On Wednesday, the Dutch government urged its citizens to “leave Iran if it is safe to do so.” And Australian authorities on Friday urged Australians should leave Israel and the Palestinian territories “when it is safe to do so”. The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem issued a security alert Friday banning U.S. government employees in Israel and their families from traveling for personal reasons outside the Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Beer Sheva metropolitan areas and urging U.S. citizens in Israel to exercise caution.

Several members of the US Congress, including Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), have posted posts in support of Israel on social media. With overwhelming bipartisan support, the House of Representatives passed a resolution Thursday condemning Iran’s weekend attack and reaffirming its support for Israel’s right to self-defense.

However, reflecting growing divisions within the Democratic Party over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the White House’s continued support for Israel, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) tweeted a post from political commentator Peter Beinart, who said after reports of the attack on Iran: “Biden’s failure to stop it is a disaster for the security of people across the Middle East, including Israelis.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told CNN earlier on Thursday that “in the event that the Israeli regime again commits adventurism and acts against Iran’s interests, our next reaction will be immediate and at the highest level.” But one in particular An unnamed senior Iranian official told Reuters on Friday that “Iran has no intention of retaliating immediately.”

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