IRIA News

Several explosions echoed across Iranian cities on April 19, 2024, as Israel carried out aerial attacks in the Iranian region of Isfahan. Tehran reported no casualties and stated that its air defense systems shot down incoming targets near Isfahan and Tabriz in the northwest.

Iran did not provide much detail about the incident and claimed that the strikes resulted in minimal damage. Western sources confirmed that the strikes against Iranian targets were launched by Israel. Tel Aviv had notified Washington about its intentions to carry out aerial attacks against Iran in retaliation to the Iranian drone and missile attack on Israel last week.

A U.S. official reported that Israel’s warning did not specify the details of the attack but emphasized Israel’s intentions not to strike Tehran, the Iranian capital, and its surroundings. It indicated that the focus was on a particular military program or facility associated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, the U.S. official added.

According to Iranian state media, air defense systems were immediately activated following reports of explosions near a significant airbase near Isfahan city. The Iranian government seemed to downplay the magnitude of the attack, as a senior commander in Iran’s army stated on state TV that there was no damage in Isfahan.

Video shows the moment Iran's air defense shot down several mini quadcopters near Isfahan. pic.twitter.com/93dwwtAzPz

— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) April 19, 2024

Maj. Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi, the commander-in-chief of Iran’s army, stated that the explosions observed in the sky above Isfahan were linked to anti-aircraft systems engaging what he described as a suspicious object. He also emphasized that the incident resulted in no damage.

Iran’s Isfahan region is allegedly home to the facilities linked to Iran’s nuclear program, such as the underground Natanz enrichment site. Iranian state media assured that all military sites in the vicinity were “fully safe,” a sentiment echoed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), confirming no damage to any nuclear installations.

The IAEA announced that Iran’s nuclear facilities in Isfahan were not damaged. The IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said on his social media account that “IAEA can confirm that there is no damage to Iran’s nuclear sites.”

IAEA can confirm that there is no damage to #Iran’s nuclear sites. DG @rafaelmgrossi continues to call for extreme restraint from everybody and reiterates that nuclear facilities should never be a target in military conflicts. IAEA is monitoring the situation very closely. pic.twitter.com/4F7pAlNjWM

— IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency ⚛️ (@iaeaorg) April 19, 2024

Furthermore, an airbase near the Isfahan region has historically housed Iran’s fleet of American-made F-14 Tomcats, which were acquired before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Calls for calm

Countries around the world have been calling for calm in an attempt to pacify the two rivals. “In light of reports of strikes on April 19th, we urge all parties to work to prevent further escalation,” foreign ministers of the G7 democracies said in a joint statement at the end of a three-day meeting in Italy.

Israel’s allies, including the United States, had been exerting significant pressure in Tel Aviv to ensure that any subsequent retaliation would be carefully measured to avoid escalating hostilities. The matter was discussed in detail during a recent visit visits from the British and German foreign ministers to Jerusalem earlier in the week. The Western countries also ensure to intensify sanctions on Iran to mollify Israel.

Last week, U.S. President Joe Biden had told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he should view Iran’s attacks as a victory for Israel, given their limited success and the demonstration of Israel’s capacity to defend itself.

Biden had previously underscored to Netanyahu that the United States would not engage in any offensive actions against Iran in retaliation.

Israeli administration, however, had been pushing to conduct a retaliatory attack against Iran following the Saturday strikes. Benny Gantz, a key member of Israel’s war cabinet, had pushed for a swift response to the attack arguing that the longer Israeli delayed its response, the harder it would be to garner international support for it.

Israel remained silent regarding any potential actions and did not disclose its plans to carry out the strike until the last day.