Israel carried out limited strikes in Iran on Friday morning in retaliation for Tehran’s barrage. missiles and drones in Israel on Saturday evening.
Fox News Digital confirmed that there were explosions in Isfahan province, where Natanz is located, but it is unclear whether it was hit. Natanz is the site of one of Iran’s nuclear facilities, although state television has described all sites in the area as “completely safe”.
A well-placed military source told Fox the strike was “limited.” Close sources said the United States was not involved and that the Israelis had notified the United States in advance.
Pentagon officials have not confirmed the strike. The White House and the National Security Council (NSC) declined to comment on the developments.
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The Iranian city of Isfahan at night. (Getty Images)
The semi-official Fars news agency reported sounds of explosions above Isfahan, near its international airport. No explanation was provided for the explosion. Isfahan, however, is home to a major air base for the Iranian military, as well as sites associated with its nuclear program.
Iran temporarily grounded commercial flights in Tehran and parts of its western and central regions in response to the attack. Restrictions have since been lifted on flights to and from Khomeini and Mehrabad international airports in Tehran, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency.
Dubai-based carriers Emirates and FlyDubai began diverting around western Iran around 4:30 a.m. local time.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, FlyDubai said flight FZ 1929 from Dubai to Tehran on Friday morning returned to Dubai because Imam Khomeini International Airport was closed. The airline also announced Friday that all of its flights to Iran had been canceled.
“The safety of our passengers and crew is our priority. We are monitoring the situation closely and will make changes to our flight paths in consultation with the relevant authorities,” a FlyDubai spokesperson said. “We will share any further updates as more information becomes available.”
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An anti-missile system operates after Iran launched drones and missiles towards Israel, seen from Ashkelon, Israel, April 14, 2024. (Reuters/Amir Cohen)
Iranian state television flashed a scrolling alert on the screen acknowledging a “loud noise” near Isfahan, without immediately giving further details.
Iran attacked Israel this weekend in retaliation for Israel’s deadly strike at the Iranian consulate earlier this month, which killed a dozen people, including a top general.
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Iran’s attack this weekend marked a major escalation of violence. Despite decades of hostilities between the two nations, Iran has never attacked Israel directly, instead relying on proxy forces in Iraq, Lebanon and elsewhere.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
