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- Why Did Israel Target Iran's Isfahan Province?
Iran's state media reported explosions over the province of Isfahan, in the early hours of Friday, as US media quoted officials saying Israel had carried out retaliatory strikes.
Why did Israel decide to target Isfahan specifically?
Isfahan is home to Iran's second largest metropolitan area, as well as a number of key facilities for Iran's defense, and nuclear programs.
Iran's Fars news agency has reported explosions heard in Qahjavarestan, near Isfahan airport and the Shekari airbase.
Shekari airbase holds part of Iran's ageing F-14 Tomcat fighter-aircraft fleet.
Isfahan as a major urban area, is also the location of various Iranian defense factories, associated with Iranian drone and missile production.
In January 2023, a military factory in Isfahan was attacked by multiple drones, although it was thwarted by local air defense batteries and mesh wiring designed to counter small unmanned aerial vehicles.
The attack might have been intended to target Iran's nuclear development infrastructure, or just to send a message to Iran, related to the Israeli ability to target Iranian nuclear facilities.
Zerdenjan area of Isfahan is also home to Iran's 'nuclear energy mountain', the site of Iran's Uranium Conversion Facility.
The facility operates three small Chinese-supplied research reactors, as well as handling fuel production and other activities for Iran’s civilian nuclear program.
The province also contains the more secretive underground Natanz enrichment site, which reportedly restarted enriching uranium in 2021, in violation of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Natanz has previously been the target of repeated Israeli sabotage efforts.
The IAEA has reported "no damage" to Iran's nuclear facilities, calling for "extreme restraint".
Why did Israel decide to target Isfahan specifically?
Isfahan is home to Iran's second largest metropolitan area, as well as a number of key facilities for Iran's defense, and nuclear programs.
Iran's Fars news agency has reported explosions heard in Qahjavarestan, near Isfahan airport and the Shekari airbase.Shekari airbase holds part of Iran's ageing F-14 Tomcat fighter-aircraft fleet.
Isfahan as a major urban area, is also the location of various Iranian defense factories, associated with Iranian drone and missile production.
In January 2023, a military factory in Isfahan was attacked by multiple drones, although it was thwarted by local air defense batteries and mesh wiring designed to counter small unmanned aerial vehicles.
The attack might have been intended to target Iran's nuclear development infrastructure, or just to send a message to Iran, related to the Israeli ability to target Iranian nuclear facilities.
Zerdenjan area of Isfahan is also home to Iran's 'nuclear energy mountain', the site of Iran's Uranium Conversion Facility.
The facility operates three small Chinese-supplied research reactors, as well as handling fuel production and other activities for Iran’s civilian nuclear program.
The province also contains the more secretive underground Natanz enrichment site, which reportedly restarted enriching uranium in 2021, in violation of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Natanz has previously been the target of repeated Israeli sabotage efforts.
The IAEA has reported "no damage" to Iran's nuclear facilities, calling for "extreme restraint".
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