The United States on Thursday received advance notice of Israel's planned strike in response to Iran's attack in the coming days, but did not approve the response, CNN reports, citing a U.S. official, UNN writes.
The United States received advance notice on Thursday of a planned Israeli strike in the coming days, but did not approve a response
Details
Israel has struck Iran, a US official tells CNN, and the move threatens to further escalate the regional conflict, the TV channel notes.
Iran's air defense systems were activated in several locations after explosions were heard near an airport and a military base in Isfahan province, state media reported early Friday morning.
The Israeli military did not comment on the situation, Israel did not claim responsibility for the attack, and Iran did not name the source of the attack.
An Iranian official said that air defense forces intercepted three drones and that there were no reports of a missile attack. Iranian media reported that facilities related to Iran's nuclear program were safe and published footage of calm scenes in areas where explosions were reported.
Iran temporarily suspended all flights to the cities of Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz, airports in the west, northwest and southwest following reports of explosions near a military base in Isfahan province, state-run Mehr TV reported. Flights were also briefly canceled.
According to a representative of the Civil Aviation Organization, Iran has now lifted the flight suspension. "We would like to inform you that the operational restrictions imposed on airports have been lifted and airlines are allowed to operate regular flights," the source said.
Flights have resumed at Mehrabad Airport and Imam Khomeini International Airport, the two largest airports in the Iranian capital, Tehran.
What is known so far
What Iranian officials say: Three explosions were heard near a military base housing fighter jets in northwestern Isfahan, Iran's FARS news agency reported. After the strike, Iranian media reported that all sites around Isfahan were safe, including important nuclear facilities in the area. A representative of Iran's National Center for Cyberspace, Hossein Dalirian, said that air defense systems had shot down three drones and "there are no reports of a missile attack yet.
What was the target? It remains unclear, but a U.S. official told CNN that the strike was not a nuclear target. According to FARS, a possible target was a military radar. Gahjavorstan, where the explosion was heard, is located near Isfahan airport and the "eighth hunting base of the army air force," according to FARS.
What Israel is saying: On Friday, the Israeli military said it had "no comment at this time" when asked by CNN about reports of explosions in Iran. Israel's military cabinet has met intermittently this week without announcing any final action following Iranian strikes on Israel last weekend.
What the US is saying: Israel's allies, including the US, have called on Israel to exercise restraint in an attempt to prevent a regional war. The US "has not given the green light" for an Israeli response, a senior official told CNN. According to a second official, before Friday's strike, the U.S. expected Israel not to strike civilian or nuclear facilities.
What's next? That also remains unclear. The reports of the bombings came hours after Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdullahian told CNN that if Israel takes any further military action against Iran, its response will be "immediate and at the highest level." He added: "If the Israeli regime makes another serious mistake, our response will be decisive, final and sad for them.
Addendum
Israel has been mulling over its response to Iran's unprecedented weekend strikes for several days, with most of the attack's means of attack having been intercepted. Iran launched the attack in response to an alleged Israeli strike on its embassy compound in Syria earlier this month.