Middle East latest: Israel carries out operation in Iran, source says - as Iran fires its air defence systems (2024)

Sky News' military analyst Michael Clarke said Isfahan "would make sense" as a target as it's home to one of the least sensitive nuclear sites.

"It's a research site, about 3,000 or so scientists work there and there's no evidence this was targeted on the nuclear site," he added.

"But the fact that Isfahan is one of the cities that does quite a lot of nuclear work is also symbolically quite important, I think, if the Israelis are indicating that they're not frightened to go after these sites."

It's over 1,000 miles to Isfahan from Israel, which suggests this was not a drone attack, Mr Clarke said, adding it was "almost certainly" led by Jericho missiles.

• Iran fires air defence batteries early on Friday in several provinces, including near a major military base in Isfahan, says state-run IRNA news agency
• Three drones destroyed shortly after midnight in the sky over Isfahan, says Iranian state TV
• Israel carried out an operation in Iran, a person familiar with the matter tells Sky News's US partner NBC News.
• The source says Israeli officials notified US officials that a response was coming
• No reports of any damage or casualties so far
• Israel has not yet commented but had promised a response after Iran's unpreceded attack at the weekend

Flydubai has cancelled flights to Tehran today- and also called back flight FZ1929 as officials in the Iranian capital closed the airport.

Flights to Imam KhomeiniInternational Airport have been cancelled until 7am GMT (8am UK time), according to Iranian news agency Mehr.

Flydubai and Emirates earlier began diverting flights around western Iran as reports of a possible attack emerged.

Commercial flights have reportedly been grounded in Tehran and in western and central regions of the country.

ByAlistair Bunkall, Middle East correspondent in Jerusalem

Israel threatened a retaliation, and it came before dawn on Friday morning.

We'll see what unfolds in the coming hours, but early indications suggest they were limited strikes and on deliberately chosen targets.

If that is the case, then this doesn't appear to be the devastating response the Israeli war cabinet had warned of.

There have been further reports of explosions in Iraq and Syria but as yet no evidence of impacts - those explosions could possibly have been sonic booms caused by Israeli jets breaking the sound barrier.

Although there are many pro-Iranian militia in that region and they would be easy pickings for the Israeli air force.

One strike appears to have been on an air base outside Isfahan connected to Iran's aircraft manufacturing industry.

If this was the target, then it appears to have been carefully chosen as a response to the drones flown at Israel on Saturday night: you fly drones at us, we take out the place they were built.

Isfahan is close to one of Iran's nuclear facilities. Although this doesn't appear to be an attack on the nuclear site, which would have been far more serious, it sends a clear message that Israel can go there if pushed, and isn't frightened to.

The timing of the attack, around 4am in Iran, will probably have limited casualties too, and if so limit what Iran does next.

Reports that Iran shot missiles out of the sky should be treated with some scepticism.

On Saturday night, Iran flew more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel: most were intercepted before they reached Israeli airspace and the ones that got through caused minimal damage to an air base.

If Israel has successfully flown F-35 stealth jets into Iranian airspace, then it's rather humiliating for the Iranian military and is a message from Israel that they can do what Iran cannot.

Iranian leaders had threatened an immediate and strong response to any Israeli attack - we'll see.

Watch for any sign that Iran implicates the US in the strikes – that might signal their intent to label US bases in Iraq and Syria as legitimate targets for any response.

Iran will of course be inclined to respond, but if this turns out to be a single strike, at a target connected to Iran's attacks, and with limited civilian harm, then I don't think Tehran will have reason, desire or justification to escalate.

By James Matthews, US correspondent

Questions possibly for the Iranians: how much notice did the US have of this and to what extent. The Israelis would have wanted to tell America prior to this action for a number of reasons.

Clearly there was a diplomatic priority, but also a practical priority: the US has bases and forces in that general vicinity.

For the sake of US safety, the Israelis will have wanted to tip off the United States to a degree about its plans.

There will be tough discussions, one imagines, between the US and Israel about Israel's course of action.

The challenge clearly is in terms of reining in potential escalation - because this strike has escalation written all over it.

ByAlistair Bunkall, Middle East correspondentin Jerusalem

It could be this is a single strike on a deliberate target to therefore send three messages: Firstly to restore that deterrence - you hit us, you broke a red line by hitting us inside Israel - we're going to hit you back.

Secondly, if it is a single strike on the manufacturing plant, it would also send a message that it's a carefully calibrated thought-out response: it's not just an assault on Iran.

And thirdly, it sends a message to the Iranian leadership that we can hit you deep inside Iran, we can fly our aircraft close to or within your airspace undetected, and can therefore do a lot worse if we're pushed to do so.

Israel carried out an operation in Iran tonight, a person familiar with the matter tells Sky News's US partner network NBC News.

They added separately that Israeli officials notified US officials today that a response was coming.

Iran has suspended flights over several cities, including the capital Tehran, its state media has said.

It comes after Iran's Fars news agency said explosions were heard near the airport at the country's central Isfahan city.

"The cause of these sounds is still unknown, and investigations continue until the exact details of the incident are determined," the semi-official Fars news agency said.

Iranian state TV described a "loud noise" near Isfahan, without elaborating.

It remains unclear if Iran is under an ongoing attack.

Reuters news agency said it was told by an Iranian source that air defence systems had been activated.

Sky's Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall said it's "early days" but there are reports Israel may have launched a single, targeted strike on the manufacturing base in Isfahan where the drones used to attack Israel were likely made.

Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel during last weekend's unprecedented attack, according to Israel Defense Forces.

Iran said it was retaliating for an attack on one of its consular buildings in Syria.

As we've been reporting this evening, the UN Security Council has not passed a resolution recommending Palestinian membership, after the US vetoed the motion.

These images show members discussing and voting on the motion, withRobert Wood, United States' ambassador to the UN, the only person to lift their hand when members were asked if they opposed the resolution.