Yemen Monitor /News Agencies
The Israeli occupation forces launched on Friday an aerial attack on Iranian territory, targeting Israeli missiles and drones in Isfahan, central Iran. Arab countries have called for restraint and avoiding escalation in the region.
Israeli and Iranian media reported explosions near Isfahan airport and the Haft-e Khatam Air Force base, noting that many Iranian nuclear sites are located in Isfahan province, including Natanz reactor.
Israeli security and government sources told “Jerusalem Post” that Israel carried out the attack on Iran on Friday, but will not claim responsibility for it for “strategic reasons.”
Israeli newspaper quoted officials, whose identities were not revealed, as saying “Israel responded to those who attacked it.”
On the Iranian side, a knowledgeable source told “Mehr” agency that the explosion heard in Isfahan was caused by the destruction of three small drones by activating the air defense system.
The source said, “Three small drones were seen in the skies of Isfahan and around the Zardangan area at around four in the morning,” adding, “After observing these drones, the air defense system shot down these drones in the sky.”
The source continued, “There is no information about these drones yet and we are looking for their wreckage,” confirming that no incident occurred at the eighth military base in Isfahan.
In turn, American media outlets including CNN, citing Israeli and American officials, reported that Tel Aviv’s strike against Iran was in response to its recent attack.
Worries and calls for de-escalation
The UAE expressed in a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs “great concern over the continuation of tension in the region”, and called for “avoiding steps that exacerbate escalation.”
It also called for “exercising maximum restraint, to avoid serious repercussions and drifting the region into new levels of instability.”
The UAE reiterated its call for the United Nations and the Security Council to fulfill their responsibilities to enhance international security and peace by resolving chronic conflicts and issues in the region that threaten global security and stability.
Meanwhile, the Omani Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it “continues to follow the ongoing tension in the region and condemns the Israeli attack this morning on Isfahan in the Islamic Republic of Iran, as it condemns and denounces Israel’s repeated military aggressions in the region.”
Oman called on the international community in the statement “to address the root causes of tension and conflict through dialogue, diplomacy, political solutions, and focus on efforts to cease fire in Gaza and adhere to international law and UN resolutions.”
Egypt stated in a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs “great concern about the continued mutual escalation between Israel and Iran, following reports of missile and drone strikes against sites in Iran and Syria.”
It also called on both parties to exercise maximum restraint and full compliance with the rules of international law and the UN Charter, warning of the consequences of expanding the conflict and instability in the region.
Egypt reiterated that it “will continue to intensify its contacts with all concerned and influential parties in order to contain the ongoing tension and escalation.”
In a related context, Jordan, according to a post by Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on “X” platform, warned of “the danger of regional escalation.”
Safadi condemned “all acts that threaten to war in the region”, calling for “ending the Israeli-Iranian retaliation.”
As of now, Israel remains silent regarding American reports of its attacks on targets in Iran, Syria, and Iraq.
On April 13th of this year, Iran launched around 350 missiles and drones in its first direct attack on Israel, in response to a rocket attack targeting the consular section of Tehran embassy in Damascus early in the same month.
