Iran thwarts drone attacks on a military site in Isfahan

The Iranian Ministry of Defense said that a strong explosion was heard in Isfahan, which was caused by “failed” drone attacks.

The Iranian Ministry of Defense reported several drone attacks on a military factory in the central city of Isfahan.

The ministry said in a statement early Sunday that the attacks were “unsuccessful” and there were no injuries.

“one of [the drones] “The air defense hit the other two in defensive traps and they exploded,” said the statement, carried by the official IRNA news agency. “Fortunately, this failed attack caused no loss of life and minor damage to the roof of the workshop,” she added.

The ministry did not specify who was suspected of carrying out the attack.

The statement came shortly after Iranian media reported a powerful explosion in Isfahan.

News agencies released video showing a flash of light in the factory, said to be a munitions factory, and footage of emergency vehicles and fire engines outside the factory.

The ministry said the attack “did not affect our facilities and our mission … and such blind measures will not have an impact on the country’s continued progress.”

Reports of the drone attacks in Isfahan came as Iranian state television also reported that a fire broke out at an oil refinery in an industrial area near the northwestern city of Tabriz.

She added that the cause was not yet known, as footage showed firefighters trying to put out the flames.

Several explosions and fires have occurred around Iran’s military, nuclear and industrial facilities in the past few years.

They come in the midst of a long-running shadow war between Iran and Israel.

There is a dispute between the two countries over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Israel says Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons, which Tehran denies.

In July last year, Iran said it had arrested a sabotage team of Kurdish militants working for Israel who were planning to blow up a “sensitive” defense industry center in Isfahan.

Iran has also blamed Israel for the assassination of its top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, in 2020, as well as an attack on the underground Natanz nuclear facility in April 2021 that damaged centrifuges.

Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Israeli officials rarely acknowledge operations carried out by the country’s covert military units or its intelligence agency.