Explosions reverberated across an Iranian city on Friday following what sources described as an Israeli attack. However, Tehran downplayed the incident and indicated that it had no intentions of retaliating, a response seemingly aimed at preventing a wider regional conflict.
The attack's limited scope and Iran's subdued reaction both seemed to indicate a successful diplomatic effort to prevent an all-out war. Diplomats had been tirelessly working to avert such a scenario since Iran's drone and missile strike on Israel the previous Saturday.
Iranian media and officials reported a few explosions, attributing them to Iran's air defenses intercepting three drones over Isfahan. Notably, they labeled the incident as an attack by "infiltrators" rather than Israel, thus negating the necessity for retaliation. An Iranian official informed Reuters that there were no plans to retaliate against Israel for the incident.
"The origin of the incident from abroad has not been confirmed. We have not experienced any external attack, and the prevailing view is more inclined towards infiltration rather than an attack," the official stated.
Israel did not comment on the incident. Despite previously indicating plans to retaliate against Iran for the Saturday strikes, Israel remained silent. The recent events marked the first direct attack on Israel by Iran in decades of proxy conflicts that have intensified across the Middle East, culminating in six months of conflict in Gaza.
The two adversaries had been on a collision course since an assumed Israeli airstrike on April 1 that targeted a building within Iran's embassy compound in Damascus, resulting in casualties, including a senior Iranian general.
Iran's unprecedented direct attack on Israel caused minimal damage and no fatalities, as Israel and its allies successfully intercepted hundreds of missiles and drones.
Allies, including the United States, have been exerting significant pressure to ensure that any future retaliation is carefully calculated to avoid escalating hostilities. This week, the British and German foreign ministers visited Jerusalem, while Western countries imposed stricter sanctions on Iran in an attempt to appease Israel.
Within Israel's hard-right government, there is mounting pressure for a more forceful response. Itamar Ben Gvir, the far-right national security minister, expressed his dissatisfaction with Friday's strikes in a single-word tweet: "Feeble!"
On Friday, countries worldwide called for both sides to prevent further escalation. "It is crucial for the region to maintain stability, and all parties must exercise restraint," stated Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the EU Commission. Similar appeals were made by Beijing and Arab states in the region.
The incident on Friday had significant effects on financial markets, with global shares experiencing a decline, oil prices surging, and U.S. bond yields falling. Traders expressed concerns about the associated risks.
Interestingly, news reports within Iran made no mention of Israel regarding the incident on Friday. State television featured analysts and pundits who seemed dismissive of the scale of the event.
According to an analyst on state TV, the air defense systems in Isfahan shot down mini drones operated by "infiltrators from inside Iran."
Iranian state TV reported that three drones were observed in the sky over Isfahan shortly after midnight. The air defense system was activated and successfully destroyed these drones.
Senior army commander Siavosh Mihandoust, as quoted by state TV, confirmed that the air defense systems had targeted a "suspicious object."
Prior to Friday's strike, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi had warned Israel that Tehran would respond severely to any attack on its territory.
On Thursday, Iran urged the United Nations Security Council to compel Israel to cease any further military adventurism against its interests. The U.N. secretary-general also cautioned that the Middle East was facing a "moment of maximum peril."
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