Israel-Iran Conflict: Israel’s Strikes Hit Iran’s Airport as Tehran Claims to Shoot Down Drones: 10 Updates

The Iran-Israel conflict has led to heightened tensions in the Middle East, with Israel reportedly launching a missile attack on an airport in Iran, as per ABC News citing a US official. The attack resulted in a loud explosion being heard in Isfahan, as reported by local media. Following the incident, Iran activated its air defense system over several cities, with state media confirming the activation after explosions were heard near the central city of Isfahan. Notably, Isfahan province houses several Iranian nuclear sites, including Natanz, which is crucial to Iran’s uranium enrichment program.

While some media outlets initially mentioned missile launches, Iran clarified that it had only shot down several drones, with no missile attack occurring at the time. According to Hossein Dalirian, the spokesman for Iran’s space agency, the country’s air defense successfully intercepted several drones, but there were no reports of a missile attack. In response to the escalating situation, Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport was closed to all flights, with a notice to airmen posted on a US Federal Aviation Administration database. Additionally, some Emirates and Flydubai flights altered their routes away from Iranian airspace, as indicated by flight paths on the tracking website Flightradar24.

The conflict between Iran and Israel has intensified in recent days, with Israel issuing warnings of retaliatory strikes following Iran’s alleged launch of hundreds of missiles and drones towards Israel, most of which were intercepted. This recent escalation follows an attack on Iran’s consulate in Damascus, which has been widely attributed to Israel.