US officials have confirmed that Israel has carried out airstrikes against Iran, as explosions were reported in the sky over the cities of Isfahan and Tabriz, while the Iranian government sought to play down the scale of the attack.
As an Iranian official indicated that it had no “immediate” plan for retaliation, calls mounted internationally – including from the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen – for Israel and Iran to de-escalate their confrontation.
Initial reports suggested that at least three explosions occurred in the air above the central Iranian city of Isfahan, which holds facilities for the country’s nuclear programme, weapons factories and a major airbase.
Travellers at the city’s airport and elsewhere reported hearing several loud booms, as the air defence batteries opened fire on what were described by officials as “suspicious objects”.
Although Iranian officials offered highly contradictory accounts seemingly designed to downplay events on Friday morning, US officials were quick to brief that Israel was behind the attack. The Guardian
