A US official confirmed that Israel did retaliate against Iran almost a week after Tehran launched a salvo of missiles and drones against the Jewish State.
The official, who has not been named, told ABC News late Thursday, April 18, that explosions were reported across Iran and even Iraq and Syria. Still, it could not be independently verified if connected to a counterstrike.
Iranian news agencies revealed that explosions were heard near an airbase in Isfahan, where the country's F-14 Tomcats are located, but say that the nuclear facilities in the area were unharmed.
The United Nations' nuclear watchdog, IAEA, also confirmed that Isfahan's nuclear facilities remain undamaged.
"IAEA can confirm that there is no damage to Iran's nuclear sites," the IAEA wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "[IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi] continues to call for extreme restraint from everybody and reiterates that nuclear facilities should never be a target in military conflicts. IAEA is monitoring the situation very closely."
"[T]hree drones were observed in the sky over Isfahan," the country's state TV reported shortly after midnight, local time. The air defense system became active and destroyed these drones in the sky."
State TV also quoted senior army commander Siavosh Mihandoust as saying air defense systems had targeted a "suspicious object."
Prior to the attack, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned Israel that Tehran would deliver a "severe response" to any attack on its territory.
Iranian officials have since told Reuters they have no plans for immediate retaliation as they are still verifying who launched the attack.
On the other hand, Israeli officials have also warned the US that it intended to attack Iran in the next 24 to 48 hours, The Times of Israel reported.
It could be recalled that Iran launched around 300 missiles and drones against Israel. Still, most of it was negated by its Iron Dome system and military assets from its allies, particularly the US, the UK, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Israeli officials earlier reported that they would take action after the Jewish feast of Passover despite multiple efforts from allies discouraging it from retaliating.
At the same time, several US politicians from the Republican Party defended Israel's "right to defend itself," calling for the country to expand its support for the Jewish State.
US Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) told Fox News Digital that Israel had a "right and obligation to respond" and blamed the recent attacks on President Joe Biden's handling of foreign policy in the region.
"The scope of Israel's action tonight shows just how far Iran's reach has extended across the region. Iran's advances should worry every American, because when Iran's leaders chant 'Death to Israel' they also chant 'Death to America,'" he said.
"Iran launched a massive attack and act of war against Israel. That attack was enabled because Joe Biden and Biden officials dismantled pressure on the Ayatollah."
In addition, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) chimed in, claiming on X that "Israel has the ability to conduct strikes against targets inside Iran without entering Iranian air space from aircraft over Syrian and Iraqi airspace."
Over on the House side, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) also defended Israel's reported attack, saying that "[w]isdom must be displayed" and that a "broadening regional war is in the best interest of no Middle Eastern country - or the United States."
"Iran and its proxies have mounted attacks against Israel for years, and under the Biden administration's foreign policy, things have only escalated," he wrote on X. "Israel has a right to defend itself against Iran's full network of evil."
This is a developing story. Please follow HNGN for more updates.
