Updated 1:14 am EST on 4/19/24
US officials told multiple media outlets that Israel launched an attack against Iran early Friday morning.
Iran’s Mehr news agency reported explosions in the Iranian province of Isfahan. Sources told Mehr that the explosions were the result of air defenses destroying three “micro” drones. ABC News reported that missiles targeted Iran, but an Iranian official told Reuters that no missile attack was carried out.
So far, Israel has not officially taken credit, and Iran has not formally blamed Israel. Other reports say explosions have hit Syria and Iraq, with aircraft activity reported in the area.
According to CNN, the US knew Israel was planning to hit Iran with the understanding that nuclear sites wouldn’t be targeted. Iranian media is reporting that nuclear sites in Isfahan are safe.
On Thursday, Iranian officials warned that if Israel targeted nuclear sites, Iran would launch “tit-for-tat” strikes on Israeli nuclear facilities. Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi has also warned of a major response to any type of Israeli attack.
Israel’s attack was a response to Iran launching missiles and drones at Israeli territory, which came in retaliation for Israel bombing Tehran’s consulate in Damascus. The Israeli attack on an Iranian diplomatic facility marked a huge escalation in Israel’s targeting of Iranians in Syria and killed seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including a high-level Quds Force commander.
President Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US would not support an Israeli offensive attack on Iran. However, the US has said it will continue to defend Israel, signaling it will intervene if Iran responds.
