TEL AVIV, Israel (NewsNation) — An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defenses from a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan.
This attack came in retaliation for Tehran’s unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on Israel.
No Iranian official directly acknowledged the possibility that Israel had attacked, and the Israeli military had not yet commented on the apparent strike Friday morning. However, tensions have been high since the Saturday assault on Israel amid its war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip and its own strikes targeting Iran in Syria.
According to the Associated Press, Iran fired air defense batteries early Friday after reports of explosions near a major airbase and nuclear site where drones were spotted.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a press briefing that the United States has not been involved in any offensive operations by Israel.
“We’re focused on what the G7 is focused on,” Blinken said Friday. “Reflected in our statement, and in our conversation, is our work to de-escalate tensions, to de-escalate from any potential conflict.”
At a White House briefing Friday afternoon, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said they do not have any comment on specific reports at this time.
She did go on to say that U.S. officials “have been very, very clear here from the beginning that we do not want to see this conflict escalate.”
“We continue to consult with our allies and partners, including in the region,” Jean-Pierre said.
Why did Israel strike Iran?
Israel’s apparent attack was in retaliation for Tehran’s assault on the country last week. This happened less than two weeks after a suspected Israeli strike in Syria that killed two Iranian generals in an Iranian consular building.
Iran launched more than 300 suicide drones and missiles toward Israel on Saturday night. Several ballistic missiles reached Israeli territory, causing minor damage to an air base.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, an Israeli military spokesman, said earlier this week that 99% of the projectiles were intercepted. However, Israel said that does not absolve Iran for the attack or the intent behind it.
Many of Israel’s allies, including the U.S. and the United Kingdom, stepped in to help repel the attack. World leaders had urged Israel this week to use restraint in any retaliatory strikes against Iran.
US given ‘last-minute’ warning
The United States told the Group of Seven foreign ministers on Friday that it received “last minute” information from Israel about the drone action in Iran, Italy’s foreign minister said.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who chaired the meeting of ministers of industrialized countries, said the United States provided the information at a Friday morning session that was changed at the last minute to address the suspected attack.
Tajani said this was not a “sharing of the attack by the U.S.”
“It was mere information,” he said.
Blinken declined to comment on the assertion but emphasized that the U.S. was not involved in any attack. Jean-Pierre also declined comment on this Friday.
Will Iran retaliate for latest strike?
It’s unclear whether Iran would retaliate for Friday’s strike.
Earlier in the week, Iran said it viewed the tit-for-tat as a closed matter but is prepared to strike back if Israel attacks.
“In case of any use of force by the Israeli regime and of violating our sovereignty, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate a bit to assert its inherent right, to give a decisive and proper response to it to make the regime regret its actions,” Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said hours before Friday’s strike.
Strikes on Syrian air defenses reported
Israel also carried out a missile strike targeting an air defense unit in southern Syria, causing material damage, state-run SANA news agency quoted a military statement as saying Friday.
The warplanes were seen around the time loud noises and drones were reported near a major Iranian air base and nuclear site early Friday. That area of Syria is directly west of Isfahan, about 930 miles away, and east of Israel.
$1 billion new weapons transfer to Israel
Meanwhile, according to The Wall Street Journal, the Biden administration is considering supplying more than $1 billion in tank shells, mortar rounds and vehicles to Israel. It would be one of the largest weapons transfers to Israel since its invasion of Gaza following the Oct. 7 Hamas incursion that killed 1,200 people.
Sanctions against Iran
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
Earlier this week, Israel’s allies vowed support for defense efforts but won’t assist with a counteroffensive. However, sanctions against Iran are being discussed.
“Some member states proposed…adopting an expansion of restrictive measures against Iran,” European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said. “I will send to the external action service (EU’s diplomatic service) the request to start the necessary work related to the sanctions.”
NewsNation’s Taylor Delandro and Liz Jassin contributed to this report.