Following circulating news on Western-based media outlets, regarding a supposed Israeli attack on Iran, sources told Al Mayadeen that such an event did not occur. Instead, Iranian air defenses repelled a relatively small drone attack, which was likely launched domestically. A local named Setareh Sadeqi, an independent researcher and journalist even posted on X, formerly Twitter, "I'm in Isfahan. I didn't hear the explosion as it happened just outside of the city. The city is calm and quiet for now. 6:05 am. #Iran."Video shows the moment Iran's air defense shot down several mini quadcopters near Isfahan. pic.twitter.com/93dwwtAzPz
— Press TV ? (@PressTV) April 19, 2024
Even state news outlet Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported that "the city and province of Isfahan are in a normal condition" after the downing of the three drones. IRNA wrote that air defenses were activated in Tabriz, in northern Iran, resulting in a series of explosions and added that no aerial objects hit ground targets in Tabriz and that all loud sounds were a result of interceptors exploding over Tabriz's sky. Right after the incident, the New York Times (NYT) cited three unnamed Iranian officials claiming that an airbase in Isfahan was attacked, adding that the official refrained from mentioning who was behind the attack. Two Israeli officials told the NYT that Israel struck Iran early on Friday morning. CNN also cited a U.S. official saying Israel attacked Iran. "Until this moment, there has been no air attack from outside the borders to Isfahan or other parts of the country … there was only a failed and humiliating attempt to fly quadcopters, and the quadcopters have been shot down. The news of the American media is not true … It seems that American media has dreamed that Israel attacked Iran," Iranian journalist Hossein Dalirian said via his social media account. (Related: Report: U.S. and U.K. helped shoot down Iranian drones and missiles launched against Israel.) The "drone attack" coincided with Israeli airstrikes on Syrian army positions in Syria's southern province of Deraa. Hours before, at least 20 members of a pro-Syrian government faction consisting of Palestinian volunteers named Liwa al-Quds were massacred in an ISIS shooting and RPG attack as they were traveling on a bus in the Al-Sukhna area of the Syrian desert near Homs. Meanwhile, Tel Aviv has vowed to respond to Iran's Operation True Promise, which saw hundreds of Iranian drones and missiles target Israel last weekend as a retaliation to the Israeli strike on Tehran’s consulate in Damascus at the start of April. Iran has repeatedly warned since its operation against Israel that any response will be met with ten times the force of last weekend's operation.I'm in Isfahan. I didn't hear the explosion as it happened just outside of the city. The city is calm and quiet for now.
6:05 am. #Iran — Setareh Sadeqi ?? ستاره صادقی (@Leelako) April 19, 2024
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