-
Brazil's patron saint reappears in polarized election campaign
-
Fury as US federal agents search anti-Trump lawmaker's home
-
US Open champ Zverev to become tennis world number one
-
One goal enough for Flick as Barca enter Galatasaray cauldron
-
Migrant crisis wounds unhealed in Ceuta as Spanish royals visit
-
A7 to unveil a service that will re-invent the international payments market
-
Brazilian judge allows Flavio Bolsonaro to visit jailed father
-
'Status quo' with EU 'not good enough', UK PM says as summit date set
-
France braces for fresh student demonstrations as Macron calls for 'respect'
-
Stolen Renoir paintings found behind wall in France
-
Zelensky doubtful on Russian acceptance of Trump's 'energy ceasefire'
-
French supermarkets suffer refrigerator shutdown after 'unprecedented' cyberattack
-
Federal agents search home of Trump critic Ilhan Omar: government
-
Arsenal lose Hincapie and Zubimendi in freak double blow
-
Pakistan detains hundreds from ex-PM Khan's party as protests falter
-
Saudi says resilience tested, vows response after deadly airport attacks
-
Australia's Smith off field after being struck on helmet
-
Alcaraz exits Shanghai Masters in straight-sets loss
-
UK retains early access to test latest US AI models
-
Pope to enter hospital on Tuesday for lung operation
-
Top NATO commander warns Russia any attack would be 'futile'
-
Renshaw shines again before Australia declaration
-
Stolen Renoir paintings found behind wall in France: prosecutor
-
Atletico's Simeone encourages goalless Alvarez improvement
-
UNHCR sounds alarm on funding crisis
-
FXGLOBE Rebuilds Its Copy Trading and PAMM Business With B2BROKER's B2COPY
-
French supermarket chains say cyberattack forced refrigerator shutdown
-
Nepal rescuers search for missing after flash flood
-
Minister's resignation rocks German coalition
-
Oil rises as Trump comments roil energy markets
-
Hurricane Simon lashes Mexico's Pacific coast, threatens landfall
-
Premier League in limbo as Manchester City soar
-
France schools protest rumbles on as Macron urges 'respect'
-
Zelensky vows to respond as Moscow silent on 'energy ceasefire'
-
Americans Hall and Woodford win economics Nobel for stabilisation models
-
Thousands march in India's capital to demand election chief resign
-
MEXC Brings AI, TradFi and the Future of Trading to Life at TOKEN2049 Singapore
-
African players in Europe: Mbeumo ends goal drought as United draw
-
Italian rice farmer beats heat with biodiversity haven
-
France's high school students plan fresh protests
-
Stocks mixed as oil prices slip after Trump hails 'energy ceasefire'
-
NZ bank in free speech row over 'explicit' sheep memes
-
Opposition, journalists allege police abuses during India protests
-
China Open champ Zheng withdraws from Wuhan citing fatigue
-
DATA Network joins Sui and Walrus to scale the supply chain for AI training data
-
Brewers edge Dodgers 2-1 in National League Championship Series opener
-
Melbourne man linked to suspected flydubai hijacker condemns 'false accusations'
-
Pope to have surgery to remove lung nodule
-
North Korea fires 'several ballistic missiles' into Sea of Japan
-
Stocks rise as oil prices tumble after Trump hails 'energy ceasefire'
Explosions in Iran, US media reports Israeli strikes
Iran's state media reported explosions in central Isfahan Friday, as US media quoted officials saying Israel had carried out retaliatory strikes on its arch-rival.
Air defence systems over several Iranian cities were activated, state media reported, after the country's official broadcaster said explosions were heard near the central city of Isfahan.
Israel had previously warned it would hit back after Iran fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel over the weekend. Most of them were intercepted.
Iran's Fars news agency reported "three explosions" were heard near the Shekari army airbase in the northwest of Isfahan province, while Iran's space agency spokesman Hossein Dalirian said "several" drones had been "successfully shot down".
"There are no reports of a missile attack for now," Dalirian said on social media platform X.
Nuclear facilities in Isfahan were reported to be "completely secure", Iran's Tasnim news agency reported, citing "reliable sources".
ABC and CBS News reported the strikes had been carried out by Israel, quoting US officials. There was no immediate comment from the White House or Pentagon.
The Israeli military told AFP: "We don't have a comment at this time."
- Flights suspended -
Iran -- a key backer the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah -- launched the attack in retaliation for an April 1 strike on its consulate in Damascus that was widely blamed on Israel.
Blasts were also reported in southern Syria, according to local activist group.
"There were strikes on a Syrian army radar position," said Rayan Maarouf, who runs the Suwayda24 anti-government website that covers news from Sweida province in the south.
Flights were suspended across swathes of Iran on Friday.
"Iran's air defence has been activated in the skies of several provinces of the country," Tehran's official IRNA news agency said.
Mehr news agency reported that "flights to Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz, and airports in the west, northwest and southwest have been suspended."
After Iran's barrages of missiles, Israeli officials did not say when or where they would retaliate, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country reserves the right to protect itself.
On Thursday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres painted a dark picture of the situation in the Middle East, warning that spiralling tensions over the war in Gaza and Iran's attack on Israel could devolve into a "full-scale regional conflict."
"The Middle East is on a precipice. Recent days have seen a perilous escalation -- in words and deeds," Guterres told the Security Council.
"One miscalculation, one miscommunication, one mistake, could lead to the unthinkable --- a full-scale regional conflict that would be devastating for all involved," he said, calling on all parties to exercise "maximum restraint."
Oil prices surged more than three percent in early Asian trade on Friday following the reports to explosions in Iran
burs-pjm/ser
A.Zbinden--VB