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Op True Promise / Iron Shield - 19 April 2024 - Wet Fireracker

The Iranian authorities reported - at dawn on Friday - that explosions had occurred in the sky of the city of Isfahan, and confirmed that there had been no missile attack or damage to sensitive installations. While American media quoted officials as saying that Israel carried out retaliatory strikes in response to the Iranian attack that targeted it last Saturday, the Israeli army refused to comment on the matter.

The Iranian News Agency (IRNA) said that anti-aircraft defenses were activated in the airspace of a number of the country's provinces, confirming that 3 small drones - known as suicide planes that do not travel long distances - were shot down near the Hashtam Shikari Army Air Base. The agency confirmed that the attack did not result in major damage or explosions, while state television reported that no nuclear facilities were affected or nuclear sites were targeted in the city of Isfahan. It also stated that the drones were responded to with ground-based anti-aircraft guns at a very low altitude, and not with missile defense systems.

According to the "Tasnim" agency, the General Secretariat of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council denied reports that the body - headed by the country's president, Ebrahim Raisi - held an emergency meeting this morning after hearing the sound of explosions. The Iranian agency also confirmed that there were no explosions in the city of Tabriz, saying that the sounds that were heard resulted from the defenses responding to suspicious objects, stressing that there was no security breach on the country’s borders.

Iranian Space Agency spokesman Hussein Dalirian stressed - via the X platform - that there was no missile attack, and that the few drones were shot down successfully. A senior Iranian army officer in Isfahan said that no losses were recorded in the city. The army also said that experts are conducting an assessment of the Isfahan incident and will announce its results later.

Meanwhile, an Iranian analyst told state television on Friday that the small drones shot down by air defenses in Isfahan were launched by "infiltrators from inside Iran." Iranian Civil Aviation quickly lifted the restrictions it had imposed for about two hours on flights at several airports, after being targeted by drones. Iran did not directly accuse Israel of carrying out the drone attack, stressing that the event was a security event and did not result from an external attack, without providing information about the place where the drones were launched.

It is noteworthy that the city of Isfahan is the largest center for nuclear research in Iran, and contains an important military base, in addition to the Isfahan Civil Airport.

Israeli Army Radio said that there is no government comment at this stage on any of the reports regarding the attack in Iran, and it did not claim responsibility for the attack. On the other hand, Israeli Channel 12 reported that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked its embassies around the world to refrain from making statements regarding the attack in Iran. She added that the target that was bombed in Iran was a military airport in Isfahan, stressing that Israel informed Washington in advance that it would strike Iran and did not obtain a specific position from it. The Israeli channel also confirmed that the Ministry of Defense witnessed a security meeting in Tel Aviv after the attack was carried out. She added that the Israeli army and security services estimate that the attack on Iran has ended, but Israel maintains high alert.

Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that estimates indicate that the attack on Iran was carried out by fighters from outside Iranian airspace and used air-to-surface missiles carrying small explosive warheads. While Israel refused to comment on the targeting, an American official told Al Jazeera that Washington was aware of reports that Israel had launched a strike inside Iran. The Washington Post quoted an Israeli official as saying that Israel launched an air strike inside Iran in response to its attack with missiles and drones. The Israeli official added to the newspaper that the aim of the strike was to send a signal to Tehran that “we have the ability to strike inside Iran.”

While NBC quoted a source as saying that the United States did not participate in the Israeli strike on Iran. The American Bloomberg website said that Israel informed the United States yesterday that it intends to respond to the Iranian attack within a day or two. There has not yet been an official position issued by the administration of US President Joe Biden regarding the drone attack that targeted Isfahan. The American website Axios reported that Israel twice during the past week postponed a strike against Iran, in response to targeting it last Saturday with hundreds of missiles and drones, most of which it said were shot down before reaching Tel Aviv.

The United States denied its involvement in the attack on the Iranian city of Isfahan . American officials said that Israel carried it out, while Western and Arab countries called for restraint and to avoid further escalation in the region. Iranian officials and media reported that there was an attack with small drones at dawn today on the city of Isfahan, and they confirmed that the nuclear facilities in the region were not exposed to any damage. While Iranian officials confirmed that the drone attacks were carried out by infiltrators and not an external party, and downplayed their importance, American media outlets, including CNN, quoted American and Israeli officials as saying that Israel carried out these attacks in response to the unprecedented Iranian strikes that targeted it a week ago.

While Iranian sources spoke about the use of small drones, Israeli media reports said that the attack at dawn today was carried out using missiles launched by a plane from outside Iranian airspace, targeting a military airbase in Isfahan. During a press conference on the island of Capri in Italy today, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said, in response to a question, that the United States is committed to Israel’s security and is also committed to reducing the escalation, stressing that Washington did not participate in any offensive operations.

The United States and Western countries participated in repelling the Iranian missiles and drones that targeted Israel last Saturday, and declared their absolute support for Tel Aviv, but declared that they did not want a greater escalation in the region.

Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (America, Britain, France, Italy, France, Canada and Japan) urged Iran and Israel to avoid any escalation. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tayani said that the final statement of the G7 summit confirmed that it wants to achieve stability in the Middle East region and prevent any increase in escalation, adding that Washington made it clear to the G7 that Israel informed it at the last minute of the attack on Iran, and did not participate in it. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also said that he informed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that any major escalation serves no one's interest, and that he wants to see calm in the region, stressing at the same time Israel's absolute right to defend itself.

For her part, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for reducing the escalation in the Middle East, and stressed the need to make every effort so that all parties refrain from any further measures. Also in European reactions, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called on all concerned parties to exercise restraint, while Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albarez expressed his hope that the Isfahan attack would be the last in the mutual attacks between Iran and Israel. Likewise, French Deputy Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot called for calm, but considered that "Israel has the right to defend itself."

In New York, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, said that the latter called for an end to the “dangerous cycle of reprisals in the Middle East,” after he had previously warned of a comprehensive regional conflict.

In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that his country conveyed to the Israelis Iran's desire not to escalate after the Iranian attack on Israel, and Lavrov expressed his hope that the Israeli response to the Isfahan facilities came within the framework of non-escalation as well. In turn, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow is studying information related to the “alleged” Israeli strike on Iran, and urges both sides to exercise restraint, adding that it is too early to comment without official statements. In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian stressed his country's opposition to any behavior that would increase tension in the Middle East, noting that Beijing followed what happened in Isfahan, Iran.

In this context, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicated that the Iranian and Israeli statements regarding the bombings that occurred in Iran are unbelievable. In turn, the Turkish Foreign Ministry called on all parties to refrain from steps that might expand the conflict in the Middle East. A Turkish diplomatic source said that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke by phone today with his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, at Tehran’s request, and they discussed developments in the region.

Also in reactions, Arab countries called for restraint, avoiding escalation in the region, and ending mutual revenge between Israel and Iran. The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, in a statement, that Egypt expressed its deep concern about the continued mutual escalation between Israel and Iran, following reports of an Israeli attack on Iranian territory. The Ministry warned, in a statement, of the consequences of expanding conflict and instability in the region.

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry also expressed grave concern about the attack on the city of Isfahan, and warned of the dangers of military escalation, noting that this escalation must not distract attention from the destruction and loss of innocent lives taking place in the Gaza Strip. For its part, the UAE Foreign Ministry said, "The UAE expresses its deep concern about the continued tension in the region, and calls for restraint, and to spare the region from escalation and its drift into new levels of instability." In this context, the Omani Foreign Ministry condemned the attack on Isfahan and Israel’s repeated military attacks in the region. A statement by the Omani Foreign Ministry called for addressing the causes and roots of tension and conflict through dialogue, diplomacy and political solutions, focusing on ceasefire efforts in Gaza, and resorting to international law and United Nations resolutions.

For his part, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Al-Safadi said that regional escalation is a danger that must be prevented, calling for an end to the Israeli-Iranian escalation. Al-Safadi called for keeping the focus on ending the brutal Israeli aggression against Gaza, saying that the world's attention must not be allowed to be diverted away from this aggression and efforts to stop it immediately.