Israel claims it is “intercepting” Iranian drones beyond its borders

Israel’s military has commenced shooting down drones originating from Iran, as reported by a military official. “The IDF has started intercepting UAVs launched from Iran, beyond Israeli borders,” an IDF representative informed the media on Friday.

Earlier, IDF spokesperson Effie Defrin indicated that Iran has sent over 100 drones towards Israeli territory, marking the initial signs of retaliation against Israel’s unprecedented strikes on Iran.

flights suspended

Emirates, a leading airline in the United Arab Emirates, has suspended flights to and from various Middle Eastern nations as Iran retaliates with drone attacks following Israel’s early morning offensive.

Emirates flights to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iran have been canceled for both Friday and Saturday. The airline has advised affected customers to reach out to their travel agents or local Emirates offices for flight rebooking.

Bushehr nuclear facility was not targeted

The UN’s nuclear regulatory body, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has stated that Iran’s Bushehr nuclear facility was not targeted during Israel‘s airstrikes, based on information from Iranian officials.

This facility is Iran’s first nuclear energy plant. The IAEA also reported that no increase in radiation levels has been detected at the Natanz nuclear site, which is Iran’s largest uranium enrichment facility, according to officials.

Both Israel, the IAEA, and Iranian state media had previously confirmed that the airstrikes impacted the Natanz facility, situated approximately 150 miles south of Tehran. This site is home to the country’s advanced nuclear program.

Analysts suggest that the facility is utilized for the development and assembly of centrifuges for uranium enrichment, a crucial technology that converts uranium into nuclear fuel. Footage and images from the area depicted significant smoke plumes rising from the Natanz site.