An explosion has been heard over the northwest of Isfahan, a city in central Iran.
The Iranian semi-official FARS news agency reported this early Friday morning, April 19, 2024.
Flight tracking website, Flight Radar 24 showed that multiple flights were diverted over Iranian airspace early Friday.
Videos reportedly from Isfahan appeared to show Iranian air defenses activated in the skies over the area.
The Iranian semi-official Fars News Agency reported that an explosion was heard in Qahjavarestan, east of Isfahan and near the Isfahan International Airport.
Overnight on April 13, Iran launched its first direct attack on Israel, deploying approximately 300 missiles and drones. Most of these were intercepted by Israel and its allies, resulting in no fatalities.
The attack was retaliation for an airstrike on Iran’s consulate in Damascus on April 1, which killed seven members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, including two generals. Iran has been supporting President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria since the beginning of the civil war in 2011.
Additionally, Iran provides significant backing to Hamas in Palestine and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated Israel’s right to defend itself against Iran’s aggression.
While the United States, Israel’s primary ally, announced sanctions against individuals and entities involved in Iran’s drone program, it indicated it would not join in any military reprisal against Iran.
Iran initially declared the matter concluded after it assaulted Israel. However, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian cautioned that Iran would ensure Israel regretted any further attacks on the Islamic republic.