Did Israel attack Iran & Iraq as reports claim loud explosions heard at key sites?

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Israel strikes back against Iran, claim reports

By Our Special Correspondent

New Delhi, April 19: Israel appears to have struck key sites in Iran and Iraq. Iranian and Hezbollah media reports claimed that Israel struck key cities in Iran and Iraq.

The claims of the Israeli attacks have come six days after Iran had launched attacks with missiles and drones against Tel Aviv. There are also claims in some sections of the western media that Israel may have struck the nuclear facilities of Iran.

Iranian media outlet Mehr News in reports stated that flights to Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz have been suspended. It stated that flights to the airports in the west, northwest, and southwest parts of the Islamic nation were suspended.

It has also been stated with attributions to Iran state TV saying that there had been “big explosions” which were heard near Isfahan. It’s also being said that Isfahan is a strategic city of Iran with possible nuclear facilities.

Reports also shared video in which Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA) is heard telling passengers that all flights have been cancelled. The public announcement at the airport called upon the people to exit the airport.

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There are unconfirmed reports of possible explosions in the Iranian cities of Isfahan and Natanz. Both are locations of significant Iranian nuclear facilities, claimed a post on the social media platform X.

Hezbollah media reports as shared by Middle East observers also claimed explosions in southern Iraq. However, the reports were not yet known for reasons behind the explosions.

But strategic experts in their posts are claiming that Baghdad was a target in the alleged Israeli attacks with a building where an important meeting was underway. “A high-level meeting was being held with the presence of several groups supported by Iran and members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” claimed another post on X.

Also read: Iran attacks Israel defence facilities while US stays guardian avenger

Incidentally, the claims of the Israeli attacks have come amid Israel and the US holding a meeting in the wake of the Saturday attacks by Iran. The US and the UK had last evening imposed a fresh set of sanctions against entities and individuals associated with Iranian drone Shahad-131 programme.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had held multiple meetings this week with his war cabinet to mull several options in the backdrop of the Saturday attacks by Israel. The US President, Joe Biden, had, however, urged upon Israel to not attack Iran. There were also claims that Israel had conveyed that its attacks against Iran will not cause Middle east tension.

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There are also reports that Israel has struck targets in Syria. Indi-Pacific News in a post claimed that Israel struck nuclear facilities of Iran in Isfahan and Natanz. It also claimed that the two cities in Iran have key nuclear facilities.

It is also being said in some quarters that the US had “heads up” on the purported Israeli attacks against Iran. It may be recalled that Iran had fired over 300 missiles and hundreds of drones against Israel on Saturday. The US had claimed that the Iranian attacks had been foiled. Jordan and the United Arab Emirates as per reports had shot down the Iranian missiles and drones.