Israeli Defense Forces Launch Strikes on Iranian Military Sites

By Yoni Weiss

Israeli aircraft launched missile attacks on Iranian Air Force assets in Isfahan, central Iran, early Friday morning, as confirmed by reports in Israeli media and statements from Israeli and Iranian officials.

These strikes contradict earlier suggestions that the attacks were conducted by land-to-air missiles or drones, a capability Israel also possesses.

The action followed reports of explosions not only in Isfahan but also in the As-Suwayda Governorate of southern Syria, and around Baghdad and Babil Governorate in Iraq. Despite the range of locations affected, a U.S. official clarified to CNN that the targets in Iran were not nuclear facilities. This was evidenced by video footage from Isfahan showing the activation of Iranian air defenses.

Further confirming the events of the morning, a senior U.S. official noted that the U.S. had prior knowledge of the strike, which did not come as a surprise.

Meanwhile, air defenses were reportedly activated in several parts of Iran, including near Isfahan and in Tabriz, where a suspicious aerial object was detected.

Israeli officials had informed the U.S. a day before the strike of their intentions to act within 24-48 hours, as reported by Bloomberg News.

In Syria, local reports from Friday morning indicated that airstrikes targeted Syrian Army sites in the As-Suwayda and Daraa Governorates, specifically affecting radar installations between Qarda and Izraa.

There were also unconfirmed reports from Erbil and Mosul in Iraq about the sounds of fighter jets early Friday morning, and flight trackers indicated that several flights headed to Iran had been rerouted.

The Mehr News Agency reported that flights to major cities such as Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz were suspended following the missile strikes.

Israeli military personnel, including several senior officials, convened at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv as the situation developed.

These missile strikes were reportedly in retaliation to a drone and missile attack by Iran against Israel, which itself was a response to an alleged Israeli airstrike near the Iranian embassy in Damascus, resulting in the death of a senior IRGC commander. Following these events, Iranian officials had publicly threatened a robust response to any further Israeli actions.