Retaliation for Iranian strikes | Israel launched an attack on Iran

(Tehran) Three explosions were reported early Friday near a military base in central Iran, with a senior US official citing an Israeli attack in retaliation for unprecedented drone and missile strikes against Israel last weekend .

Iran activated its air defense in several provinces early Friday after reports of explosions in the center of the country, the official IRNA agency said. Drones have been shot down, but there has been no missile attack “so far,” authorities said.

Commercial flights were suspended from and to several airports, including Tehran, according to the Mehr agency, citing airport authorities.

State television reported early Friday information about “strong explosions” heard in the province of Isfahan (center), without elaborating on the causes.

But according to a senior American official cited by ABC News, this is an Israeli attack carried out against Iran in retaliation for Iranian strikes against Israel last weekend.

These developments come as Israel threatened to respond to the drone and missile attack against Israeli territory last weekend decided by Tehran after a deadly strike attributed to Israel against the Iranian consulate in Damascus.

Israel said it had intercepted with its allies almost all of the approximately 350 drones and missiles launched by Iran, and affirmed that the Iranian attack would not go “unpunished”.

This is the first direct attack ever carried out by Iran against its archenemy. The head of Iranian diplomacy Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said that Iran would make Israel “regret” any attack on its territory.

But by attacking Israel, Iran said it was acting in “self-defense” after the attack that destroyed its consulate in Damascus on 1^er April and cost the lives of seven of its soldiers, including two high-ranking officers. Tehran accused Israel, which neither confirmed nor denied.

“Iran’s self-defense actions and countermeasures are over, so the Israeli terrorist regime must stop any further military adventurism against our interests,” Amir-Abdollahian said during a meeting on the situation in the Middle East. -East.

“Widespread regional conflict”

Israel considered carrying out rapid strikes in Iran in retaliation for missiles launched by Tehran last weekend on its territory, but ultimately revised its plans, Israeli and American media said Thursday

According to Israeli public broadcaster Kan, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided not to implement pre-approved plans for retaliatory strikes in the event of an attack, after discussions with US President Joe Biden.

“Diplomatic sensitivities played a role […] There will be a response, but it will be different from what was initially planned,” a senior official told the channel on condition of anonymity.

Israel’s first ally, the United States, urges Israel to exercise restraint, opting instead to strengthen its sanctions against “the Iranian drone program, the steel industry and automobile manufacturers.” The EU and the United Kingdom also announced new sanctions against Tehran.

“We are on the verge of a war in the Middle East which will cause shock waves in the rest of the world,” underlined the head of diplomacy of the European Union, Josep Borrell, calling for restraint. .

“The Middle East is on the precipice. The past few days have seen a dangerous escalation, through words and actions,” said Antonio Guterres.

“A miscalculation, a miscommunication, a mistake, could lead to the unthinkable, a widespread regional conflict that would be devastating for all those concerned, and for the rest of the world,” he added, calling first for a ceasefire in Gaza.