It was unclear if the country was under attack, but tensions are high after Iran’s unprecedented missile-and-drone attack on Israel.
April 19, 2024 10:49 am | Updated 10:54 am IST
The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), shows what the TV said was a live picture of the city of Isfahan early on April 19, 2024, following reports of explosions heard in the province in central Iran.
| Photo Credit:
AFP
Iran fired air defenses at a major air base and a nuclear site near the central city of Isfahan after spotting drones early on April 19 morning, raising fears of a possible Israeli strike in retaliation for Tehran’s unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
It remained unclear if the country was under attack, as no Iranian official directly acknowledged the possibility and Israel’s military did not respond to a request for comment. However, tensions have remained high in the days since the Saturday assault on Israel amid its war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip and its own strikes targeting Iran in Syria.
U.S. officials declined to comment as of early Friday, but American broadcast networks quoting unnamed U.S. officials said Israel carried out the attack. The New York Times quoted anonymous Israeli officials claiming the assault.
Also read: In Israel’s north, a slow-burning war is raging with Hezbollah
Here are the latest updates:
April 19, 2024 10:54
Tehran airports resume flights: state media
Tehran’s two major airports resumed flights on Friday, state media reported, following a brief suspension after explosions were heard in central Iran.
“Flights through Imam Khomeini and Mehrabad airports have resumed,” the official IRNA news agency reported.- AFP
April 19, 2024 10:48
Airlines scramble to change routes after Israeli attack on Iran
Airlines quickly changed flight paths over Iran, diverted to alternate airports or returned planes to their departure points on Friday in response to airspace and airport closures after an Israeli attack on Iran, flight tracking data showed.
Iran closed its airports in Tehran, Shiraz and Isfahan after the attack and cleared flights from the western portion of its airspace for a few hours after the attack, according to flight tracking website FlightRadar24. - Reuters
April 19, 2024 10:42
United States had advance warning of Israel attack on Iran: U.S. media
The United States received advance notice of Israel’s reported strike on Iran but did not endorse the operation or play any part in its execution, U.S. media quoted officials as saying.
NBC and CNN, citing sources familiar with the matter and a U.S. official, respectively, said Israel had provided Washington with pre-notification of the strike.
Various networks cited officials confirming a strike had taken place inside Iran, with CNN quoting one official as stating the target was not a nuclear facility.
April 19, 2024 10:33
Iran fires air defense batteries after explosions reported in Isfahan
Iran fired air defenses at a major air base and a nuclear site near the central city of Isfahan after spotting drones early Friday morning, raising fears of a possible Israeli strike in retaliation for Tehran’s unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
1 week ago
123
