April 19, 2024 - Iran targeted in aerial attack

A regional intelligence source with knowledge of Iran's potential reaction to Friday's strike, which was carried out by Israel according to a US official, said that direct state-to-state strikes between the two enemies were "over."

The source, who was not authorized to speak publicly, spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity about two and a half hours after CNN first reported the attacks.

The source said that, to his knowledge, Iran was not expected to respond to the strikes — but did not give a reason.

Iranian government officials have so far sought to play down the impact of Friday's attack.

The Israeli military has not commented, and Iran has not identified the source of the attack. 

Israel would need significant support from Western allies to enter into a full-blown war in the Middle East, according to Maha Yahya, director of the Carnegie Middle East Center research foundation.  

Appeals made by Israel's Western allies for it to exercise restraint in the wake of Iran's attack last weekend likely played a large role in Israeli officials' calculations on how strongly to retaliate, she added.

“It was clear that there was tremendous (international) pressure on Israel not to escalate things further."

For context: The US, the UK and France all helped Israel counter Iranian missiles and drones during last weekend's attack. Israel’s military said “99%” of projectiles fired by Iran were intercepted by Israel and its partners, with only “a small number” of ballistic missiles reaching Israel.

Iran's media on Friday published footage and images of calm scenes in the areas where air defenses were activated and explosions were reported.

Israel had carried out a strike on Iran hours earlier, a US official told CNN. The Israeli military has not commented and Iran has not identified the source of the attack.

Air defenses intercepted three drones, an Iranian official said. And air defenses caused blasts near an army base in Isfahan province, according to Iranian media.

Iranian media showed residents walking near Isfahan landmarks such as the Naqsh-e Jahan square and along the Zayandeh Rud river, while normal traffic was reported in the city, according to semi-official news outlet ISNA.

Isfahan airport was operating as normal after airports were earlier closed around the country, according to semi-official Tasnim news.

In the northwest city of Tabriz — where air defenses were also activated —video showed normal traffic and pedestrians in parks and on the streets.

"Material losses" have been reported in southern Syria after an Israeli strike, Syrian state media SANA reported Friday, citing a military source.

Israel targeted Syria's "air defense sites in the southern region. The aggression led to material losses," SANA reported.

The Israeli military told CNN that it does not comment on reports in foreign media. 

Iranian officials appear to view Friday's attack — which was limited in scope — as Israel trying to "save face" after it was targeted by Iran in strikes over the weekend, according to Abas Aslani, an Iranian journalist and researcher.

"It's a bit early to judge whether it's over or not, but at the moment... it doesn't seem to be a regional war emerging," Aslani told CNN, noting there is still a chance the situation could escalate.

Since a suspected Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria earlier this month, people in Iran have mostly stood behind their government's airstrikes against Israel on Saturday, he said. It is "a matter of national pride" for many Iranians.

There has been no damage to Iran's nuclear sites after an aerial attack in Isfahan province on Friday, the United Nations nuclear watchdog said, as it called for restraint in the region.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said its chief, Rafael Grossi, "continues to call for extreme restraint from everybody and reiterates that nuclear facilities should never be a target in military conflicts."

Earlier, an Iranian official said air defenses intercepted three drones. Multiple Iranian state-aligned news agencies reported that sites associated with the country's nuclear program were “completely secure” and the attack appeared to be limited in scope.

Some context: A US official told CNN that Israel carried out a strike inside Iran. The target was not nuclear, the official added. Prior to Friday's strike, the US expectation was that Israel would not target civilian or nuclear facilities, a second US official said.

Israel has carried out a strike inside Iran, a US official told CNN on Friday, in a move that threatens to further escalate conflict in the Middle East.

Iran’s air defense systems were activated in several locations after explosions were heard close to the airport and an army base in the province of Isfahan, state media reported early Friday morning.

Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack.

Here's what we know:

The attack on Iran early Friday was likely intended as both a retaliatory measure and a cautionary message, a retired US Army Major General told CNN's Michael Holmes.

For days, Israel has been weighing its response to unprecedented weekend strikes from Iran, which were launched in retaliation for a suspected Israeli strike on its embassy compound in Syria earlier this month.

A US official told CNN that Friday's attack was an Israeli strike. Israel has declined to comment on it.

“Israel must maintain its vigilance” in case Iran decides to respond with another show of force, retired Major General Mark MacCarley said.

By targeting the Iranian province of Isfahan — the site of significant nuclear facilities —Israel was likely warning that it could easily overwhelm Iran's defenses, MacCarley said.

“I think that there was a very deliberate thought process on the part of the Israeli war cabinet," he said.

A loud blast heard near the Iranian city of Isfahan was caused by "air defense firing at a suspicious object," an Iranian senior military commander said, according to Iran's state-aligned Tasnim news agency.

There was no "damage or incident," said senior military commander Second Brigadier General Mihandoust in Isfahan province, according to Tasnim.

A US official told CNN that Israel had carried out a strike inside Iran. The Israeli military has not commented.

Iranian state media are reporting that all facilities in the area are secure, including significant nuclear facilities.

Three explosions were heard early Friday near the military base where fighter jets are located in Isfahan province, Iran's semi-official FARS news agency reported.

Iran's National Cyberspace Center spokesman, Hossein Dalirian, said air defenses shot down three drones and "there are no reports of a missile attack for now."