Flights at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport were suspended until 10:30 a.m. local time as reported by the information desk. Additionally, departures at Imam Khomeini International Airport were delayed until 10:55 a.m. The state media agency IRNA reported that flights were also suspended in Isfahan and Shiraz. Iran’s foreign minister issued a warning to Israel, indicating that any attacks would lead to a “decisive, definitive, and regretful” response from Iran.
State-backed Iranian media FARS reported that nuclear sites in Isfahan were safe amid the reported Israeli strike. The news agency also stated that reports of incidents in these facilities were inaccurate. Isfahan, situated in central Iran, has been the target of attacks in the past. It was noted that last year, a military factory in the region was attacked. The weekend strike in Isfahan, following a direct military assault on Israel, was the country’s first of its kind.
The U.S. was not involved in the reported Israeli strike in Iran, with a source confirming that Israel had provided prior notification to the U.S. about the operation. The Israeli Embassy in Washington and the CIA refrained from commenting on the situation. No comments were made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, while the Israel Defense Forces spokesman’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comments. Flights in Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz were suspended, according to a report by the Iranian state-run news agency IRNA.
Israel was said to have carried out an operation in Iran, as confirmed by a source familiar with the situation. Israeli officials had informed U.S. officials earlier that a response was imminent. However, the Israeli Embassy in Washington declined to comment on whether an attack had been launched on Iran. President Joe Biden assured Israeli leaders of the U.S.’s commitment to defending Israel, but emphasized that the U.S. would not participate in offensive operations against Iran.
Iran’s foreign minister, in a statement to the United Nations, warned of a response to any use of force by Israel. He indicated that Iran had concluded its legitimate defense and countermeasures following an attack by drones and missiles. The attack resulted in the deaths of two Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders and five other members. While some damage was inflicted on Israel, the Iranian minister cautioned against further military adventurism by the Israeli regime. Mentioning Israel’s attack on Iran’s embassy in Syria, he stressed the country’s inherent right to respond decisively and appropriately to any violations of its sovereignty.
