This is a possible Israeli response, six days after the Iranian attack. Strong explosions were reported in Iran on Friday April 19, after Israel threatened to respond to the attack launched by Tehran against its territory during the night from Saturday to Sunday. Iran reported three explosions near a military base in the center of the country, according to the official Fars agency. Drones were shot down, but there was no missile attack “so far”, announced the Iranian authorities. The international community has launched calls for restraint after these reprisals. Here’s what we know.
Strong explosions in central Iran
Three explosions occurred at dawn on Friday, near a military base in Qahjavarestan, between the city of Isfahan and its airport, in the center of the country, the official Fars agency reported. According to state television, the causes of these “strong explosions” are not yet known. Iran immediately activated its air defense in several provinces.
“Several micro aerial vehicles were successfully shot down by the country’s air defense, there is no documentation of a missile attack so far”said on the spokesperson for the Iranian space agency, Hossein Dalirian. “At this time, there has been no air attack outside Isfahan and other parts of the country”he also said. According to the official Irna agency, no major damage was reported.
The Israeli army did not wish to comment immediately. The military simply declared that alarm sirens had sounded in northern Israel, the scene of exchanges of fire in recent months between the Israeli army and Hezbollah, Iran’s Lebanese ally.
Strikes also targeted Syria at dawn on Friday. The Soueida region, in the south of the country, was affected “on a Syrian army radar position”specified Rayan Maarouf, activist and manager of the online media Suwayda 24.
Safe nuclear installations
While central Iran is home to several of the known nuclear sites, facilities in the Isfahan region are “totally safe”assured the Tasnim press agency. “The important installations (…) are completely safe and no accidents have been reported there,” also underlined the Irna agency. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEIA) has confirmed that nuclear sites have not suffered “no damage”.
The region is notably home to the Nuclear Technology Center, Iran’s largest nuclear research complex, according to the American research institute Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI). There is also a zirconium production plant, essential for producing nuclear energy, as explained by the AEIA.
Possible Israeli reprisals
According to American officials cited by several American television stations, including the ABC News channel, these explosions were the work of Israel, in retaliation for Iranian strikes on the Jewish state. Washington was warned Thursday of the Israeli attack on Iran, but neither approved the operation nor played any role in its execution, officials also declared cited by the American channels NBC and CNN. “We have no comment at this time.”an Israeli army spokesperson told AFP about the explosions.
Israel had warned it would retaliate after Iran fired hundreds of missiles and drones into Israeli territory. Most of them had been intercepted. This attack came following a raid against the Iranian consulate in Damascus, blamed on Israel. An Iranian media outlet, Tasnim, however, assures, citing “knowledgeable sources”that there is not “no reports of an attack from abroad”.
Security measures in Israel
The US Embassy in Israel on Friday ordered its employees and their families to limit their travel within the country, hours after reported explosions in Iran. She states on her website that “U.S. government employees and their family members” cannot travel “for personal reasons” outside the major cities of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Beersheba. This safety notice is valid “until further notice”.
Australia also urged its nationals to leave Israel and the Palestinian territories, citing a “strong threat of military reprisals and terrorist attacks”.
As for the airports, flights resumed early Friday morning in Tehran’s two airports after having been suspended, according to the official Irna agency. The Emirati airline Flydubai canceled its flights to Iran for the day.
International reactions
China reacted by assuring that it wanted to play “a constructive role for de-escalation”. The spokesperson for Chinese diplomacy, Lin Jian, recalled that Beijing was opposed “to any action likely to lead to an escalation of tensions”.The European Union calls on the parties present in the Middle East to “refrain from any further action”. “It is absolutely necessary for the region to remain stable”asked Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.
“We invite all parties to exercise caution and avoid escalation. The G7 wants absolute de-escalation in a region experiencing serious tension”, reacted the head of Italian diplomacy Antonio Tajani. Italy, which chairs the G7 (United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan and Italy), added that the United States, Israel’s historic allies, had “been informed at the last moment” of the attack, without specifying by whom. United States “were not involved in an offensive operation” declared his American counterpart Antony Blinken, present in Capri, stressing that “the objective” of his country and the other members of the G7 was “de-escalation”.
This is also the message from France, which reiterated its call on Friday “to stop military escalation in the Middle East.” This “is in no one’s interest and would only increase instability and insecurity in the Middle East”, reacted Christophe Lemoine, deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “France is working on de-escalation with its partners”, he added in a written statement. At the same time, Emmanuel Macron assured the Prime Minister of Lebanon, received in Paris, of “France’s commitment to do everything in its power to prevent the increase in violence between Lebanon and Israel”, reported the Elysée.