Israel is said to have attacked Iran from the air during the night, and explosions are reported. Is there now a risk of further Middle East escalation?
Tehran – This was probably Israel's expected and feared response to the Iranian air strikes at the weekend. On Friday night (April 19), at least one explosion was heard in the city of Qahjavaristan, which is located in the center of Iran,
Fars
news agency reported, citing local media. Nearby is Isfahan Airport and an air force base.
Air strike on Iran: Israel probably speaks of “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”
Israeli sources are said to have confirmed to
Welt
reporter Paul Ronzheimer that it was a counterattack. The attack was carried out according to the motto “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”. Exactly where the Iranian attack started on the night of last Sunday. Which apparently means the Isfahan air base.
The exact background still needs to be clarified. However, various US media outlets such as
CNN
,
ABC
and
Fox
had previously reported,
citing representatives of President Joe Biden's government, that Israel had carried out a military operation in Iran.
MSNBC
Pentagon correspondent Courtney Kube
emphasized that authorities in Tel Aviv had informed Washington in advance that they intended to send a response to Tehran.
Explosions in Iran: Israel is said to have fired rockets - airports temporarily restrict operations
According to US reports, Israel fired one or more rockets. According to
Fars
, the army's radar in northeast Isfahan could have been one of the targets; three explosions are said to have occurred here. According to initial findings, the damage was apparently limited. There was only talk of broken windows.
The news agency also rejects reports that there was an incident at the nuclear facility in Isfahan. In addition, air traffic at Tehran's two large airports, Iman Khomeini and Mehrabad, would return to normal after temporary restrictions. Another explosion near the northern Iranian city of Tabriz is attributed to the air defense reacting to a suspicious object.
Reports of Israel's Nighttime Attack on Iran: General Says 'No Damage or Incident'
Fox reported a “limited attack
,
” citing the US military. The USA was not involved.
CNN
pointed out that Washington had not given the “green light” for the attack. Nuclear facilities were not the target. It has been demonstrated that Iran's air defense does not match that of Israel.
But that also seems to have prevented something worse from happening. According to Iranian media, a general from Isfahan province emphasized: “We had no damage or incidents.” Previously, a reporter from the
Irna
news agency had said that “several small flying objects were seen and hit in the sky of Isfahan.”
Israel does not confirm attack on Iran: US military expert is already talking about retaliation
The city of millions is home to important facilities in the defense industry and the largest nuclear research center in the country. Initially, there was no direct accusation from Iran. Meanwhile,
CNN
military expert Mark MacCarley defended
the alleged military strike from Tel Aviv: “The Israelis had to retaliate, but that retaliation also carried a message: Yes, we can do it. Don't do that again. If you do it again, chaos will ensue.”
There were initially no official confirmations of the air strike from Israel and the USA. Nevertheless, the next chapter in the Israel-Iran conflict appears to have been written.
Escalation in the Middle East: Iran warns Israel – Foreign Minister announces “response at the highest level”.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amirabdollahian had previously sent a warning to Israel in a
CNN
interview: “In the event that the Israeli regime again resorts to adventurism and acts against Iran's interests, our next reaction will be immediate and at the highest level .” President Ebrahim Raisi had threatened “extensive and painful consequences” to the German Press Agency. The spiral of escalation could continue to turn and there is a risk that the Middle East conflict will worsen.
Just a few days ago, according to current information, Iran fired more than 300 rockets and drones into Israeli territory, which was also condemned by top German politicians. This attack was apparently a response to an attack on the Iranian embassy building in the Syrian capital Damascus at the beginning of April, in which two generals of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard fell victim. Israel is suspected to be behind this bloody act. Amirabdollahian had therefore described the retaliatory attack as “legitimate defense under international law” before the UN Security Council.
Israel and the fight against Hamas: Military operation in the Gaza Strip helps Hezbollah and Houthis
Tel Aviv has found itself in a special predicament since the massacre by Hamas militants on October 7th, which left thousands dead and dozens of hostages kidnapped. The military invaded the Gaza Strip to neutralize the radical Islamic Palestinian organization operating from there and to prevent further terrorist attacks. In this context, there is already talk of a new Middle East war.
At the same time, the civilian population in the coastal strip has been suffering from the consequences of the attack for months. Many of the residents lost almost everything and had to flee; their homes were destroyed.
The alleged oppression of the Palestinians, in turn, is increasing the already rampant anger against Israel in some neighboring states, which appears to be giving a boost to Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. This also means that the eternally smoldering Middle East conflict threatens to degenerate into a new conflagration that could affect many a state or organization.
(mg, with dpa)