Conflicting reports and speculation surround recent attack on Iran
Shafaq News/ Recent events in Iran have sparked a whirlwind of speculation and conflicting reports, raising questions about the involvement of external actors and the nature of the incidents.
Iranian authorities have presented a narrative suggesting that the explosions in Isfahan were the result of internal factors, downplaying external involvement, particularly from Israel. However, neighboring Iraq has provided contradictory information, adding complexity to the situation.
WHAT HAPPENED IN IRAN
Iran announced that the recent explosions in Isfahan, central Iran, occurring early in the morning, were the result of Iranian air defenses successfully targeting and downing three drones over the city. This account, presented by Iranian officials, seeks to deflect blame from external forces, particularly Israel and instead points to internal "infiltrators" as the culprits behind the incident.
An Iranian official told Reuters on condition of anonymity that there is yet to be confirmation regarding any external involvement in the event. The official clarified, "We have not verified any external attack, and our analysis tends towards the likelihood of infiltration rather than an external assault."
In turn, the semiofficial news Agency Tasnim reported today, Friday, citing "informed sources," that "there are no reports of an external attack" in Iran following the explosions heard in the country.
The agency mentioned that "contrary to rumors and confirmations from Israeli media (...), there are no reports of an external attack on Isfahan city or any other area in the country."
Tasnim also reported that "air defense units were activated in some areas such as Isfahan and Tabriz," the city in the country's north.
The sources added to the agency that "these measures were due to the high sensitivity of air defense systems due to the current situation and the difficulty in detecting some small drones."
In most official Iranian statements and news reports regarding the recent explosions in Isfahan, there was no explicit mention of Israel. The focus instead shifted towards internal factors, with official television broadcasts featuring analysts who expressed skepticism about the scale of the attack.
An analyst on the Iranian official TV channel suggested that the air defenses in Isfahan had successfully intercepted small drones launched by "infiltrators from inside Iran."
Contrary to this narrative, neighboring Iraq has presented different information.
WHAT HAPPENED IN IRAQ
Social media users on Friday shared pictures showing the remains of an Israeli missile that was reportedly heading to Iran and fell in the Al-Aziziyah district in Wasit.
The US-funded Al-Hurra channel cited a high-ranking Iraqi security source on Friday, revealing that a series of missiles had landed in two Iraqi cities the previous night.
According to the Al-Hurra source, "two Israeli missiles landed in Wasit governorate, adjacent to Iran, while another landed in the Latifiya area south of the capital, Baghdad." The source also indicated that these missile landings were likely due to technical malfunctions.
In contrast, the Security Committee of the Wasit Governorate Council issued a clarification following the controversy of a reported fall of an Israeli missile in the Al-Aziziyah district, north of Nasiriyah.
Committee chair Habib al-Badri told Shafaq News agency that "the reports on the fall of an Israeli missile in the Al-Aziziyah district are incorrect. Instead, it was (the remains of a rocket propellant) that fell in the al-Deir area north of Wasit."
He explained that "explosives experts removed the missile material to a safe place for security analysis and identification."
Moreover, the Jerusalem Post said explosions were heard in Baghdad and Babil Governorate in Iraq.
According to the Israeli Newspaper, residents in Erbil and Mosul in Iraq reported hearing the sounds of fighter jets as well early Friday morning.
Specific details about the nature and targets of these explosions remain unclear, and the Iraqi authorities did not comment on the incident, but a source within the Iraqi Interior Ministry refuted reports of explosions within Iraqi territory.
The source clarified to Shafaq News Agency that "while military radars detected unidentified objects passing over Iraqi airspace, no targeting or explosions were recorded on Iraqi territory."
WHO ATTACKED IRAN
American officials and Israeli local media have attributed the explosions in central Iran at dawn to Israel. The Israeli newspaper "Jerusalem Post," citing a government and security source, explicitly stated that Israel was behind the attack.
According to a source cited by Al-Hurra's correspondent in Jerusalem, Israel's response to the reported attack was framed as "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." The source indicated that Israel targeted the location responsible for the alleged attack.
The Jerusalem Post, citing two sources in the Israeli Ministry of Defense, reported that military aircraft launched long-range missiles at an Iranian military base in Isfahan, which contradicted Iran's assertion that drones were involved in the incident.
On Friday, Israel maintained silence regarding the reported attack, while the United States explicitly denied any role.
At a press conference in Italy, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken declined to comment on the matter beyond affirming the United States' commitment to Israel's security. Blinken emphasized that the U.S. did not participate in any offensive operations related to the incident.
Similarly, Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee, speaking to Al-Hurra, neither confirmed nor denied Israel's involvement in the attack. Adraee stated, "No comment at this time," leaving the situation surrounding the reported attack and its attribution shrouded in uncertainty.
