Fire raging after Israeli strike in Iranian city of Zanjan
Israeli fighter jets have reportedly bombed an army base in the city of Zanjan, about 325km (200 miles) from Tehran in northern Iran, according to UK-based outlet Iran International.
Footage published by the outlet shows thick smoke and a fire raging hours after the attack.
Oman’s foreign minister working to contain ‘dangerous escalation’
The Omani Foreign Ministry says Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi has held a series of phone calls with his counterparts around the world “as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts to contain the dangerous military escalation and tensions” in the Middle East.
Those tensions were “triggered by Israel’s direct attacks on Iranian territory”, the ministry said in a statement shared on social media.
It added that Albusaidi stressed during the calls “the importance of halting the aggression … in order to prevent further bloodshed, destruction, and loss of life, and to safeguard the security, stability, and the supreme interests of the region and its peoples”.
On Friday, the minister condemned Israel’s attack on Iran as “illegal, unjustifiable and a grave threat to regional stability”.
Iran downs Israeli reconnaissance drones
The Iranian forces have shot down drones on a reconnaissance mission over northwestern Iran, according to state media.
“Islamic fighters [Iranian forces] in the Salmas border region successfully shot down Israeli drones that had violated the country’s airspace,” state television said, adding the “drones had entered Iranian airspace on espionage and reconnaissance missions”.
Military says drones downed over central Israel
Israel’s military said it has intercepted a number of aerial drones over the country’s central region. The drones were detected and air raid alerts were activated in several areas of the country, the military said.
No details were given on possible damage, casualties or where the drones originated.
