Israeli and Western media reported this Friday morning that Israel conducted an attack inside Iran, a claim that Iran says was nothing important and more propaganda than real.
Several Israeli and Western media reported that in the early hours of this Friday, Israeli carried out a retaliatory attack against Iran, targeting Iranian city of Isfahan with a number of drones.
Tensions between Tehran and Tel Aviv have risen following Iran’s retaliatory strike on Israel after an attack against its diplomatic premises in Syria two weeks ago.
Back then, Iran vowed response and some days later on April 13, it launched several drones, and missiles towards Israel, hitting Israeli airbases, according to Iran’s state media reports. Israel and the United States claim that the Israeli drones hit Iran’s military bases in Isfahan, where parts of Iran’s nuclear facilities are also located.
Israel’s Haaretz, for example, reported this Friday that Israel’s drones could successfully hit an Iran’s air base on Isfahan, a report that the New York Times also confirmed.
Was it really an Israeli attack?
No Iranian official directly acknowledged the possibility that Israel had attacked, and the Israeli military did not respond to a request for comment. Rather, officials in Tehran asserted that what the other side is claiming is more propaganda than real.
Iran’s state media said, citing Iranian officials that in the early hours of Friday, explosions were heard, which were caused when three small drones were identified as foreign object and were shoot down by air defense missiles.
“The explosion this morning in the sky of Isfahan was related to the shooting of air defense systems at a suspicious object that did not cause any damage,” Iranian army commander Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi said.
Iran ready to counter any air attack, Iranian military official says
Kioumars Heydari, the commander-in-chief of the ground forces of the Iranian army, said Iran remains vigilant to confront any other potential aerial threats.
“Even though last night’s objects were suspicious, our country’s defenses reacted intelligently. If suspicious flying objects appear in the sky of the country, they will be targeted by our powerful air defense,” he said, speaking to Iran’s state-run IRNA.
The Iranian military official also noted that Iran’s attack on Israel on April 13 “showed that the Islamic republic has the upper hand in the region and can establish security without the interference of any foreign power”.
