On Friday, April 19, sources said, Israel launched an attack on Iran, Reuters reports.
According to state media, three drones that flew over the city Isfahan have been downed.
“Israel has begun its retaliation against Iran after Saturday's missile and drone attack on Israel,” explains geopolitical analyst Mikkel Rosenvold. “So far attacks seem to have been directed at Iranian proxy groups in Syria and Iraq as well as unknown targets in the Iranian region of Isfahan. The latter could well be drone or missile factories or nuclear production facilities”.
Earlier in the month, Israel allegedly struck the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, killing multiple officials.
Last weekend, around 300 drones and ballistic missiles were fired against Israel in a supposed retaliatory strike from Iran. There were no confirmed deaths.
The United States, along with the United Nations, strongly urged Israel not to retaliate.
“Regional–and indeed global–peace and security are being undermined by the hour. Neither the region nor the world can afford more war,” said Secretary General of the UN António Guterres on Sunday. “Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate.”
However, on Monday, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said that Israel would respond to Iran’s attack, stating that, “Iran will face the consequences for its actions. We will choose our response accordingly.”
As of right now, Iran seems relatively unscathed by the attack. Al Jazeera reports that flight restrictions have been lifted after several hours, and that state media reports no damage to nearby nuclear site. There are no reports of any injured persons nor damages to infrastructure in the city.
“Once again–so far–this falls well within what we and others have expected and will likely not elicit a larger response by Iran,” Rosenvold states, “But we have to understand the full scope of Israeli attacks to provide a full prognosis.”
Later today, a planned demonstration in support of the residents of Gaza will proceed in the city.