Israeli missile hits Iran, US officials say | BBC News

BBC News
19 Apr 202421:22

Summary

TLDRRecent events have raised concerns about escalating tensions in the Middle East. Explosions were heard in Iran, with two US officials confirming to CBS News that Israel was behind the attack. Iranian state media reported significant explosions near an army base and airport in Isfahan, prompting the activation of local air defense systems. Additionally, blasts were reported in northwest Iran and southern Syria, with missiles targeting radar sites. Despite these incidents, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed no damage to Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency, close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, stated that the nuclear site is safe. While Iran has downplayed the incident, there is speculation about the country's next move, with some suggesting that Iran may not retaliate to maintain a sense of deterrence. The situation remains fluid, with international partners urging restraint from both sides to prevent further escalation.

Takeaways

  • ๐Ÿ’ฅ **Explosion Reports**: There have been reports of explosions near an army base and airport in Isfahan, Iran, with local air defense systems being activated.
  • ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ท **Iranian Media**: Iranian state media downplays the incident, reporting only loud explosions and the activation of air defense systems.
  • ๐Ÿšจ **International Response**: The international atomic energy agency confirms no damage to Iran's nuclear facilities and calls for restraint.
  • ๐Ÿค” **Safety Assurances**: Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency assures that the Isfahan nuclear site is safe, despite the nearby explosions.
  • ๐Ÿ›ฐ๏ธ **Airspace Restrictions**: Commercial flights were diverted around Iranian airspace, but restrictions have since been lifted.
  • ๐Ÿšจ **Syrian and Iraqi Explosions**: Similar explosions were reported in southern Syria and Iraq, suggesting a broader regional conflict.
  • ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฑ **Israeli Retaliation**: Israel has promised to respond to Iran's missile attack, with reports suggesting Israel warned Washington of its actions.
  • ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ **US Precautions**: The US has restricted travel for its embassy staff in Israel and issued a statement about the complex security environment.
  • ๐Ÿ“‰ **Effort to Downplay**: Iranian officials are attempting to downplay the incident to avoid escalating tensions and potential military conflict.
  • ๐Ÿค **Deterrence and Restraint**: Both Iran and Israel are trying to restore deterrence, with international partners urged to call for restraint.
  • ๐ŸŒ **Global Reaction**: The G7 foreign ministers are meeting in Italy and are expected to address the situation, with initial reactions suggesting a focus on restraint and de-escalation.

Q & A

  • What was the nature of the incident reported in Iran?

    -There were reports of explosions near an army base and airport in the central city of Isfahan, with local air defense systems being activated. Iranian defense missiles were seen being fired, and commercial flights were temporarily diverted around Iranian airspace.

  • Which countries are confirmed to have been involved in the attack?

    -Two US officials confirmed to CBS News that the attack was from Israel. Iranian state television also reported that the explosions were the result of an attack.

  • How did the international community respond to the incident?

    -The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that there was no damage to Iran's nuclear facilities and called for extreme restraint from all parties. The US restricted travel for its embassy staff in Israel out of caution.

  • What was Iran's stance on the situation?

    -Iranian officials tried to downplay the incident, with some stating that no damage had been done and that it was just a few drones over Isfahan. There were efforts to convince hardline supporters that there was no need for a response.

  • What was the Israeli perspective on the attack?

    -The Israeli military did not comment on the incident, but Israeli media presented it as an Israeli offensive inside Iran. There were reports of Israel warning Washington without endorsement for the action.

  • How did the situation affect the broader Middle East conflict?

    -The incident raised fears of an escalation in the Middle East conflict. There were also reports of explosions in southern Syria and Iraq, indicating a potential wider conflict.

  • What was the reported status of Iran's nuclear facilities?

    -The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that there was no damage to Iran's nuclear facilities, and the Iranian semi-official Tasnim news agency stated that the nuclear site was completely safe.

  • What was the reaction of the G7 foreign ministers meeting in Italy?

    -The G7 foreign ministers, meeting in Capri, reacted to the news with Italy's foreign minister stating that they would discuss the situation with the foreign ministers at the session. Canada's foreign minister also mentioned being briefed about the explosions.

  • What is the current state of alert in Israel?

    -The Israeli military has not updated its advice to the public, suggesting that the country is not bracing itself for retaliation from Iran.

  • What is the potential impact on diplomatic relations in the region?

    -The incident could strain diplomatic relations and potentially involve Iran's proxies in retaliation and attacks. There is a significant focus on diplomatic efforts behind the scenes to calm the situation.

  • What are the implications for the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine?

    -The incident adds to the complexity of the ongoing conflict, with increased tensions and potential involvement of other countries and groups in the region.

  • How did the situation affect the discussions at the G7 foreign ministers meeting?

    -The situation in the Middle East was brought back onto the agenda at the G7 foreign ministers meeting, with discussions expected to focus on the recent events and potential actions.

Outlines

00:00

๐Ÿ’ฅ Middle East Conflict Escalation Fears After Israeli Attack on Iran

The first paragraph discusses the concerns over an escalated conflict in the Middle East following an attack on Iran, which was reportedly carried out by Israel. The incident involved explosions near an Iranian army base and airport in Isfahan, activation of local air defense systems, and Iranian defense missiles being fired. Commercial flights were temporarily diverted around Iranian airspace, but restrictions have since been lifted. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed no damage to Iran's nuclear facilities, and there is a call for restraint from all parties to prevent nuclear facilities from becoming targets in military conflicts. Iranian media downplayed the incident, while the US restricted travel for its embassy staff in Israel as a precaution.

05:02

๐Ÿฐ Iranian Response and Efforts to Restore Deterrence Post-Attack

The second paragraph focuses on the Iranian reaction to the attack and their attempts to restore deterrence. It mentions that Iranian officials are trying to downplay the incident, possibly to avoid the need for a counter-response and to convince hardline supporters that no significant damage was done. The narrative suggests that if Iran can present the attack as insignificant, it might be able to restore a sense of deterrence without further escalation. The paragraph also discusses the potential end to tit-for-tat strikes and what could be considered a 'win' for Iran in this situation, emphasizing that Iran does not want to escalate the conflict due to the potential military disparity with Israel.

10:05

๐ŸŒ International Reactions and the Role of Deterrence in the Middle East

The third paragraph examines the international response to the attack and the concept of deterrence in the region's politics. It highlights the lack of official comment from the Israeli military, contrasting with Israeli media's portrayal of the event as an Israeli offensive. The narrative also includes a quote from an unnamed senior Iranian official suggesting no immediate retaliation is planned, indicating a mutual unwillingness to escalate the situation. The role of third-party countries, particularly European nations, is discussed in terms of urging restraint and helping both Israel and Iran feel secure.

15:07

๐Ÿ•ต๏ธโ€โ™‚๏ธ G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting and Focus on Middle East Tensions

The fourth paragraph details the ongoing G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Italy, where the situation in the Middle East, including the recent attacks, is a key topic of discussion. It mentions reactions from Italy's foreign minister, who has been in contact with Italy's ambassador to Iran, and Canada's foreign minister, who has been briefed on the situation. The paragraph also notes that while there are no indications of further announcements regarding sanctions, the emerging details from Iran will be a significant point of discussion during the closing session of the meeting.

20:08

๐Ÿšจ War in Ukraine and the Urgent Need for Air Defense Systems

The fifth paragraph shifts the focus to the war in Ukraine, which has been a primary agenda item at the G7 meeting. It discusses Ukraine's foreign minister's request for additional air defense systems and missiles, and the critical need expressed by NATO's Secretary General for such systems to be sent to Ukraine as soon as possible. The paragraph also touches on the potential optimism stemming from the US aid package for Ukraine, which is moving towards a congressional vote, and the overall downbeat mood regarding the issue.

Mindmap

Keywords

๐Ÿ’กMiddle East conflict

The Middle East conflict refers to the ongoing political, military, and religious disputes in the Middle East region. In the context of the video, it is specifically related to the escalating tensions and attacks between Iran and Israel, which are two key players in the broader Middle East conflict.

๐Ÿ’กIsfahan

Isfahan is a central city in Iran, known for its historical and cultural significance. In the video, it is mentioned as the location where big explosions were heard near an army base and airport, indicating a significant military and strategic area that was impacted by the reported attack.

๐Ÿ’กAir defense systems

Air defense systems are military installations designed to detect, track, and neutralize enemy aircraft and missiles. The video discusses the activation of local air defense systems in Isfahan, Iran, in response to the perceived attack, highlighting the defensive measures taken by Iran.

๐Ÿ’กIranian nuclear facilities

Iranian nuclear facilities are sites within Iran where nuclear material is processed or nuclear energy is generated. The video emphasizes that despite the conflict, these facilities remain undamaged, which is a critical point as they are often a focal point in discussions of military conflict and international relations.

๐Ÿ’กInternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

The IAEA is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. The video mentions the IAEA confirming no damage to Iran's nuclear facilities, which underscores the importance of maintaining the integrity of these sites amidst conflict.

๐Ÿ’กIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)

The IRGC is a branch of Iran's military that is also a powerful political and economic organization within the country. The video references a semi-official news agency close to the IRGC, indicating the IRGC's influence and involvement in the situation.

๐Ÿ’กTensions in the Middle East

Tensions in the Middle East refer to the unstable and potentially volatile relations between various countries in the region. The video discusses how the recent attacks and military actions have heightened these tensions, affecting not just Iran and Israel but also the broader geopolitical landscape.

๐Ÿ’กDeterrence

Deterrence in the context of international relations is the ability to dissuade an adversary from taking a course of action by instilling fear of the consequences. The video discusses how both Iran and Israel are attempting to restore a sense of deterrence to prevent further escalation of the conflict.

๐Ÿ’กG7 foreign ministers meeting

The G7 foreign ministers meeting is a gathering of the foreign ministers from the seven countries that are part of the Group of Seven, an international organization consisting of the world's major advanced economies. The video notes that the Middle East situation is being discussed at this meeting, indicating the global significance and concern over the conflict.

๐Ÿ’กSanctions

Sanctions are measures imposed by countries or international organizations to force a change in policy by applying economic or political pressure. The video refers to additional sanctions being placed on Iran following its strike on Israel, which is a significant aspect of the international response to the conflict.

๐Ÿ’กRestraint

Restraint in this context means the act of moderating one's actions or responses, particularly in a conflict situation. The video mentions calls for restraint from Western leaders to both Israel and Iran, emphasizing the need for de-escalation and the avoidance of further military action.

Highlights

Fears of an escalation in the Middle East conflict after explosions in Iran.

Two US officials confirmed to CBS News that the attack was from Israel.

Iranian state television reported large explosions near an army base and airport in Isfahan, activating local air defense systems.

Videos online show Iranian defense missiles being fired into the air.

Commercial flights were diverted around Iranian airspace, but restrictions have now been lifted.

The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed no damage to Iran's nuclear facilities.

Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency posted a video claiming the nuclear site is safe.

Explosions reported in southern Syria and Iraq, apparently from missiles targeting radar sites.

Israel promised to respond to Iran's missile attack on Saturday night, with reports from NBC and CNN.

The US restricted travel for its Embassy staff in Israel out of caution.

Iranian media seems to downplay the incident, possibly to avoid the need for a response.

Iranian officials claim no damage was done and it was just a few drones disguised over Isfahan.

Iran may view the situation as a win if they can downplay the attack and stop the tit-for-tat strikes.

Iran does not want to escalate the situation due to its weak air defense system.

Both Israel and Iran are trying to restore deterrence in the region.

International partners, especially European countries, should call for restraint from both sides.

The Israeli military has not claimed responsibility for the attack on Iran.

Iranian officials suggest no immediate action or retaliation is planned.

G7 foreign ministers meeting in Italy discuss the situation in the Middle East.

Sanctions on Iran have been increased by the US, UK, and EU following its strike on Israel.

Efforts are being made to calm tensions in the region, with a focus on avoiding further escalation.

Transcripts

00:00

there are fears of an escalation in the

00:02

Middle East conflict after explosions

00:05

were heard in Iran two US officials have

00:07

confirmed to our broadcast partner CBS

00:10

news that it was an attack from Israel

00:13

State television in Iran has reported

00:15

big explosions near an army base and

00:18

airport in the Central City of Isfahan

00:21

activating local air defense systems

00:24

blasts have also been reported in the

00:26

country's Northwest video online shows

00:30

Iranian defense missiles being fired

00:32

into the air commercial flights were

00:35

were diverted around Iranian airspace

00:38

but Iranian media say all restrictions

00:40

have now been lifted the international

00:43

atomic energy agency has confirmed that

00:45

there is no damage to Iran's nuclear

00:48

facilities Raphael Mariano gry director

00:51

general of the agency said on social

00:53

media he continues to call for extreme

00:56

restraint from everybody and reiterates

00:59

that nuclear facilities should never be

01:01

a Target in military conflicts Iran's

01:05

semi-official tasnim news agency which

01:07

is close to the Islamic revolution guard

01:10

Corp posted a video with a caption

01:13

saying is if is for hands nuclear site

01:16

is completely safe a man near the

01:19

Isfahan nuclear Technology Center is

01:22

seen in a video that we will show you

01:25

very shortly and in this video that's

01:28

com in from the semiofficial

01:29

tazim news agency you can see there a

01:33

man holding a watch the camera which

01:35

indicates the time and date we can then

01:37

see several troops standing around what

01:40

looks like an air defense

01:43

battery explosions have also been

01:45

reported in southern Syria apparently

01:48

from missiles targeting radar sites

01:51

explosions to in Iraq in the capital

01:53

Baghdad and babil Province to the South

01:57

Israel has promised to respond to Iran's

01:59

drawing missile attack on Saturday night

02:02

both NBC and CNN have reported unnamed

02:06

officials saying that Israel warned

02:08

Washington but that Washington did not

02:10

endorse the

02:12

action the US has restricted travel for

02:15

its Embassy staff in Israel out of an

02:17

abundance of

02:19

caution the US Embassy issued this

02:23

statement the security environment

02:25

remains complex and can change quickly

02:28

depending on the political situ

02:29

situation and recent events well for

02:33

more on this I'm now joined by Majid AFA

02:36

senior reporter with BBC Persian thank

02:38

you for joining us just bring us up to

02:41

date on the information we're getting

02:43

from Iran but also other countries who

02:46

are watching developments on the ground

02:48

um what we're getting from Iranian media

02:51

is quite limited because at the moment

02:55

there there there seems to be an effort

02:58

from by the Iranian media to downplay

03:00

the incident we were as you said we had

03:04

reports of explosions loud explosions in

03:08

the city of esfahan we now know that the

03:12

the explosions were heard from a an area

03:15

called kja Varan which is east of the

03:18

city of eswan where one of the main air

03:22

bases uh missile defense systems of Iran

03:26

is located very close to the

03:29

international airport in Sahan um and

03:33

there were also reports of explosions in

03:35

the city of tabis in the north west of

03:38

the country where another uh air defense

03:41

system is based and now at the moment we

03:44

are hearing from the governor of uh

03:47

aaban uh East aaban Province that uh

03:51

they they they there were a number of

03:53

drones there and they tried to down them

03:57

there so um we are now getting conf

03:59

information that explosions were had

04:02

also near another Air Base in the city

04:05

of um tab um as as you said the the

04:09

nuclear facilities seem to be safe um

04:13

but but the the situation is quite

04:17

changing every every minute as we

04:19

getting reports there are um video

04:23

footage there there's footage on social

04:25

media showing um fire inside a and and

04:30

an air base in in Isfahan but we cannot

04:33

confirm it at the moment my colleagues

04:35

at BBC pan are trying to to to validate

04:39

that to see if this is today or not but

04:42

all we're getting is the air defense

04:45

system was activated in the city of

04:47

esphahan and now in the city of tabis to

04:49

down a number of drones just tell us

04:52

about the reaction from Iranian

04:54

officials because so far the assessment

04:57

is that they're trying to downplay what

04:59

has happened we've heard from uh some

05:01

officials saying that no damage has been

05:03

done and it was just a few drones that

05:05

were in Disguise over Isfahan exactly um

05:08

the the question is uh Iranian side when

05:11

they attacked Israel on on Saturday

05:14

night and over the weekend they they

05:16

have they had tried to say this was a

05:18

successful attack and that's what you

05:21

see in the Iranian media landscape that

05:23

that's what they did if they managed to

05:26

downplay what happened today then the

05:29

seems to be this seems to be an effort

05:32

to somehow convince their Hardline

05:35

supporters inside the country that um

05:38

nothing has happened there's no need for

05:40

a response because the Iranian side has

05:42

always been saying that if there is an

05:46

air sight they they will reply to that

05:49

there there will be a Counterattack now

05:51

the main question here is what is this

05:54

an attack from outside the country or

05:56

are are these drones just U took off

05:59

from from inside the country the Iranian

06:02

side is definitely trying to restore

06:05

deterrence as the Israelis are trying to

06:07

do and if they manage to downplay this

06:10

incident maybe they can restore that

06:13

maybe they can achieve the goal of

06:15

restoring uh deterant inside the country

06:18

what do you think Iran would want to

06:20

achieve because obviously there calls

06:21

for an end to the tit forat strikes that

06:24

we've seen um over the past few weeks

06:28

what would be let's call it a win a way

06:31

to get out of this situation for Iran

06:34

it's already um at least from what we

06:37

see from the Iranian official statements

06:40

a win for Iran even if they don't reply

06:43

to this Jerusalem Post minutes ago

06:46

published a a a report citing an Israeli

06:49

official that there was an air strike

06:51

and this was a message to the Iranian

06:54

side that if they want they can they can

06:56

strike inside Iran Iranian officials if

07:00

they manag to to say that there was no

07:02

damage nothing has happened no harm has

07:04

been done maybe they can they can see

07:07

this as as a win at the same time

07:09

getting the message and and stop this

07:11

tit fortat um attacks as you said the

07:15

Iranian side obviously does not want to

07:18

to to to escalate this because they know

07:21

that if if it comes to a military direct

07:23

military conflict they're not in in any

07:26

way um comparable to what uh Israel

07:29

Israelis are capable of doing Iranian

07:31

air defense system is also quite weak

07:34

and um and and also um we know that is

07:38

really air air um like fighter jets and

07:41

stuff they can do damage to the Iranian

07:43

side and there is precedence of um like

07:46

Israeli um clandestine operations inside

07:50

Iran thank you very much Majid for that

07:53

update and Analysis that's Majid AFA

07:55

from the BBC Persian service we joining

07:58

me now on the line is Adnan tabat Iran

08:01

analyst and CEO of capro Kao a think

08:05

tank focusing on Iran and the Middle

08:08

East in Germany thank you for joining us

08:10

on the program first of all what's your

08:13

assessment of the reports that we've

08:15

been getting over the past few

08:18

hours in my in my view what we are

08:20

currently seeing is as your colleague

08:23

has um very well elaborated on um that

08:27

the Iranian side is trying to portray

08:29

this as something really um minimal as

08:33

something that basically lays to rest

08:36

the whole the whole tit fortat situation

08:39

and that this was basically nothing um

08:42

and we will obviously have to wait uh

08:44

for more accurate information to come

08:46

out about what exactly happened but at

08:48

this stage I think it's important to

08:50

just acknowledge the fact that um there

08:53

seems to be no will to escalate this

08:55

further there appears to be no will to

08:57

escalate this further there would be

09:00

also considerations within um Iran

09:03

hardliners within the government there

09:05

who want perhaps tougher action against

09:08

Israel do you think if Iran was to not

09:11

carry out another strike and was to say

09:14

well the strike wasn't that bad that

09:16

would be enough to please the

09:19

hardliners I believe so I think that the

09:22

the overall appetite to to launch

09:25

another attack um in spite of what was

09:27

said publicly I think the TI has not

09:30

been um that big um so it's actually I

09:34

believe right now also to the benefit of

09:37

officials in Iran to be able to downplay

09:39

what happened or to really just say that

09:42

what happened is not significant enough

09:44

for us to to retaliate at this stage

09:47

what's your assessment of how we got

09:49

here because both sides have been clear

09:52

that they do not want a wider war in the

09:54

region they do not want to escalate

09:56

tensions but we found oursel in these

09:59

positions well we've seen these you know

10:01

large strikes or strikes um over the

10:04

past few

10:05

weeks yeah indeed I think the the the

10:09

dangerous situation here is the constant

10:12

pushing of of red lines um they Iran has

10:17

always acted in a way that was plausibly

10:19

deniable it went through its aligned

10:21

groups in the region um but that red

10:24

line was obviously crossed on on Sunday

10:28

um the Israelis by attacking an Iranian

10:31

Consular building in Damascus and

10:32

killing irgc um commanders was another

10:36

form of Crossing red lines so that that

10:39

is the dangerous situation we're seeing

10:41

but when these red lines are pushed we

10:44

may also be able to move within a range

10:46

of of actions which means that there

10:49

will no no further escalation be on the

10:51

horizon one word that has been spoken

10:54

often has been deterrence so both

10:57

countries wanting to deter the other

10:59

from attacking them the one to feel

11:01

secure in what perhaps can be you know

11:04

quite a dangerous neighborhood how would

11:07

International Partners go about making

11:09

Israel and Iran feel secure that they

11:12

won't be

11:13

attacked and you're pointing to a very

11:16

very relevant issue here and that is um

11:19

the the the face saving deterrence game

11:22

that is necessary on on both sides and I

11:25

really believe third parties have a role

11:26

to play here and what I miss

11:28

particularly from European countries is

11:30

to really effectively call for restraint

11:33

and try to give both sides a sense of

11:37

you have in restored your deterrence um

11:40

we can see that you can do each other

11:42

serious harm um and now please for the

11:45

sake of of peace and no further

11:46

escalation call for restraint on both

11:49

sides we I haven't seen that in a way

11:51

that that I would have hoped from

11:53

particularly European countries and

11:55

let's see whether today's event or last

11:57

night's event uh changed that

11:59

thank you very much that's Adnan tabai

12:02

CEO of

12:05

carpo we can now speak to our Middle

12:07

East correspondent yoland n and yoland

12:10

were getting reaction International

12:12

reaction to this attack these explosions

12:15

in Iran country still trying to figure

12:17

out what happened what are we hearing

12:19

from Israeli

12:22

officials so the Israeli military has

12:24

not had any comment on whether this was

12:27

an Israeli offensive in side Iran um but

12:31

the Israeli media is clearly presenting

12:33

it as such and you've also got the US

12:35

media quoting unnamed Israeli and US

12:39

officials saying that this was um an

12:41

Israeli strike on Iran that took place

12:44

now the information that's kind of

12:45

coming out is mainly from Iran where of

12:48

course there is not a a free press you

12:50

have had um overnight uh these reports

12:53

first from the the semi-official fast

12:55

news agency where it talked about three

12:58

explosions being heard in Isfahan right

13:00

in the center of the country um close to

13:04

a key airport close to an important uh

13:07

military base um then the the state TV

13:10

was saying in Iran that um these were

13:13

Ground explosions that took place there

13:15

had been air defense systems that have

13:17

been activated um in response to drones

13:20

which you can apparently see in some

13:22

footage uh that is circulating on social

13:25

media and uh really trying very much on

13:29

on the Iranian side to downplay what

13:30

happened here we're not hearing anything

13:32

about uh significant damage at all um

13:36

that said in Israel this morning I mean

13:40

of course this has been a very tense

13:41

week as everyone waited to see um how

13:44

the country would respond um it was

13:46

really made clear that the country felt

13:48

it had to respond to that unprecedented

13:50

attack by Iran last weekend with more

13:53

than 300 attack drones and missiles

13:56

being launched at the country um this is

13:58

a country is about to have uh the Jewish

14:01

Passover holiday many schools have

14:02

broken up people have been preparing to

14:04

travel there's been this kind of

14:05

continuing state of uncertainty and it's

14:08

telling this morning uh that the Israeli

14:10

military has not uh updated its advice

14:13

it said there's no change in

14:15

instructions to the Israeli public um

14:17

about the state of alert that the

14:19

country is now on uh suggesting it is

14:21

not bracing itself for retaliation from

14:24

Iran the Reuters news agency

14:26

interestingly quoting an unnamed uh

14:28

senior Iranian official who they say

14:31

says that no retaliation is planned um

14:33

and presenting this as more of a case of

14:35

infiltration rather than an attack on

14:38

Iran and yoland we're just seeing

14:41

reports um from the from Iranian media

14:44

this is on the BBC live page and an

14:46

Iranian official is quoted as saying

14:49

Iran has no plan for immediate action

14:52

soorry this was a comment to the Reuters

14:55

news agency so falling in line with

14:58

comments that we we've been seeing that

15:00

Iran also has no appetite to escalate

15:03

the tensions there in the Middle East um

15:07

just talk us through what's likely to

15:09

happen over the next few days obviously

15:12

at the moment the focus is on what's

15:13

happening between Iran and um Israel but

15:17

also eyes are focused on what's

15:18

happening in

15:21

Gaza indeed and I think there's uh so

15:24

much happening uh diplomatically behind

15:26

the scenes at the moment to try to calm

15:28

things down

15:29

we have seen this morning also these uh

15:32

reports um of uh an attack by Israel in

15:36

Syria according to the UK based Syrian

15:39

Observatory for human rights on on a

15:41

Syrian Army base we've also had rocket

15:44

Sirens um going off warning of a

15:47

potential incoming fire in the North of

15:49

Israel where there has been this

15:51

increase in recent days in uh cross B

15:54

fire uh between Israeli forces and hez

15:56

balah the powerful uh iran-backed

15:59

Lebanese group um so really a lot of

16:02

fears that um Iran's proxies could also

16:05

uh get involved in retaliation and

16:07

attacks even if we don't have that

16:09

coming from Iran

16:11

directly thank you very much uh that's

16:13

the BBC's your land now there with

16:16

analysis and reaction from Jerusalem

16:19

well G7 foreign ministers are meeting in

16:21

Italy these are live pictures from that

16:24

meeting in Capri they've been reacting

16:27

to the news we can actually go live live

16:29

now to our correspondent Jess Parker

16:32

who's in Capri for us so we've been

16:34

getting reaction from ministers there

16:36

just talk us through what they've been

16:39

saying yeah good morning to you in the

16:42

last hour or so hearing from some of

16:44

those foreign ministers who as you say

16:46

are here in Capri for the G7 foreign

16:48

ministers meeting they had discussed the

16:51

situation in the Middle East yesterday

16:53

and then moved on to other issues

16:55

including the war in Ukraine but it now

16:58

seems as though the Middle East very

17:00

much back on the agenda just to bring

17:01

you some of that reaction first of all

17:03

Italy's foreign minister Antonio Tani

17:06

who's chairing proceedings here he has

17:08

said on the social media platform X I

17:11

have just spoken with our ambassador to

17:12

Iran I'm following developments

17:14

following the nighttime explosions in

17:16

Isfahan we will talk about it with the

17:19

foreign ministers at the G7 session in

17:21

Capri uh this morning he goes on to say

17:24

there are no critical issues uh for

17:26

Italians living in Iran and then

17:28

Canada's foreign minister Melanie Jolie

17:31

says she's been briefed by global

17:33

Affairs Canada officials about the

17:35

overnight explosions again monitoring

17:37

the situation closely and reiterating

17:40

that the situation will be addressed uh

17:42

at the session of the G7 foreign

17:44

ministers uh this morning so that's the

17:46

reaction that we have so far we are

17:48

expecting to hear from other foreign

17:51

ministers later on today as this G7 uh

17:55

foreign ministers meeting is due to wrap

17:57

up so we should expect reactions here on

18:00

the Italian island of Capri throughout

18:02

the day and over the past uh couple of

18:04

days Jess we've seen some countries

18:07

there meeting in uh Capri putting

18:10

sanctions further sanctions on Iran

18:12

following its uh strike on Israel do we

18:15

expect any other announcements um during

18:17

this

18:20

meeting I haven't had any indications

18:22

that we'll get further announcements of

18:24

that kind so what happened uh following

18:28

Saturday

18:29

attacked by Iran which of course was in

18:32

itself a response to a strike on an

18:34

Iranian Embassy in or Consulate in Syria

18:38

um following that there were some very

18:40

uh Advanced broadcast messages that

18:43

there would be further sanctions and

18:45

yesterday we heard from the US and the

18:47

UK who said they'd come up with a

18:49

coordinated package to sanction

18:51

individuals and Industry bodies linked

18:54

to Iran's missile and drone program the

18:57

European Union as well well during a

18:59

summit in Brussels said they would be

19:00

looking uh at further restrictive

19:03

measures going forward against Iran as

19:05

well this just adds to sanctions that

19:07

are already applied to tan so the UK for

19:11

example said that it had sanctioned 13

19:13

individuals and entities adding to 400

19:15

existing sanctions already in place but

19:18

I think they were trying to do a couple

19:19

of things send a message to Iran in

19:21

response to what had happened on

19:23

Saturday also as part of this effort to

19:27

try and deescalate tensions in the

19:29

region we've heard this message from

19:32

Western leaders to Israel to try and

19:34

show restraint or even not retaliate at

19:37

all and I think it was part of that

19:39

effort to sell uh to Israel this message

19:42

of take the win as President Biden uh

19:44

put it following the events of the last

19:47

week of course we're still getting a

19:48

very emerging picture this morning in

19:51

terms of what is actually uh happened in

19:54

Iran but uh it will very much be up for

19:56

discussion here H at the closing session

19:59

of G7 foreign ministers today and Jess

20:02

briefly just talk us through some of the

20:03

other issues that have been discussed

20:05

there in

20:08

Capri yeah I mean the other main item on

20:11

the agenda has been the war in Ukraine

20:15

so Demitri CBA Ukraine's foreign

20:18

minister has been here on the island of

20:21

Capri again asking for further

20:23

assistance particularly air defense

20:26

systems missiles Yen stoltenberg the

20:30

Secretary General of the NATO military

20:32

Alliance is here as well um we were at a

20:35

press conference with him yesterday and

20:37

he was saying there is an urgent

20:39

critical need for more air defense uh

20:41

systems to go to Ukraine as soon as

20:44

possible really at the moment it's not

20:46

quite clear where those air defense

20:48

systems might come from Germany recently

20:51

uh pledged an additional battery uh to

20:53

Ukraine Yen stoltenberg said

20:55

conversations were ongoing but with

20:58

partner countries about whether there

21:00

could be a further assistance uh there

21:02

is some hope uh because the US Aid

21:05

package that has been so long stalled in

21:08

Congress worth $60 billion uh for

21:10

Ukraine uh Congress is moving towards a

21:13

vote on that so that caused a little bit

21:15

of optimism here but actually overall

21:17

officials that I've been speaking to say

21:19

the mood on this issue has been quite

21:21

downbeat