Israel carried out limited strikes in Iran early Friday in retaliation for Tehran firing a barrage of missiles and drones at Israel last Saturday.
Fox News Digital confirmed there have been explosions in Iran’s Isfahan province, which is where Natanz, one of Iran’s nuclear facilities, is located. Though it was initially unclear if the facility was hit, state television described all sites in the area as “fully safe” and the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed on X Friday morning that there is no damage.
A well-placed military source has told Fox News that the strike was “limited.” Sources familiar said the U.S. was not involved and there was pre-notification to the U.S. from the Israelis.
Pentagon officials have not confirmed the strike. The White House and the National Security Council (NSC) have declined to comment on the unfolding situation.
Explosions were heard near the Iranian city of Isfahan on Friday after Israel reportedly launched retaliatory strikes in the country in response to Iran’s weekend attack on the Jewish state. (Getty Images)
The semiofficial Fars news agency reported on the sound of explosions over Isfahan near its international airport. It offered no explanation for the blast. However, Isfahan is home to a major airbase for the Iranian military, as well as sites associated with its nuclear program.
Iran temporarily grounded commercial flights in Tehran and across areas of its western and central regions in response to the attack. Restrictions have since been lifted on flights to and from Khomeini and Mehrabad international airports in Tehran, according to Iranian news agency Tasnim.
Dubai-based carriers Emirates and FlyDubai began diverting around western Iran at 4:30 a.m. local time.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, FlyDubai said flight FZ 1929 from Dubai to Tehran on Friday morning returned to Dubai because the Imam Khomeini International Airport was closed. The airline also said all of its flights to Iran on Friday have been canceled.
“The safety of our passengers and crew is our priority. We are monitoring the situation closely and will make changes to our flight paths in consultation with the relevant authorities,” a FlyDubai spokesperson said. “We will share any further updates once more information becomes available.”
ISRAEL’S ADVANCED MILITARY TECHNOLOGY ON FULL DISPLAY DURING IRAN’S ATTACK
An anti-missile system operates after Iran launched drones and missiles towards Israel, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel April 14, 2024. (REUTERS/Amir Cohen)
In response to Israel’s reported strike on Iran, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem issued a security notice Friday morning “out of an abundance of caution” restricting U.S. government employees and their family members from personal travel outside the greater Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Be’er Sheva areas until further notice.
Iran attacked Israel over the weekend in retaliation for Israel’s deadly strike on Iran’s consulate in Syria earlier this month that killed a dozen people, including a top general.
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The weekend attack by Iran marked a major escalation of violence. Despite decades of hostilities between the two nations, Iran has never directly attacked Israel, instead relying on proxy forces in Iraq, Lebanon and elsewhere.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.