Israel reportedly carried out a drone strike targeting an Iranian munitions factory Sunday as tensions grow between the two countries.
Iranian officials claim their air defenses struck down one drone and two others committed minor damage to the munitions factory, according to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The munitions factory, located in the city of Isfahan, is right next to a site belonging to the Iran Space Research Center, which has been sanctioned by the State Department for contributing to Iran’s ballistic missile program.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian responded to the strike forcefully. “Such actions cannot impact the determination and intent of our experts for peaceful nuclear progress,” he said, according to state media service PadDolat.
The strike comes as American officials negotiate with Israel’s newly elected administration on Iran and other regional issues. Secretary of State Tony Blinken will speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to reduce tensions with the Palestinian population, Reuters reported.
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Burns made an unannounced trip to Israel on Thursday to discuss similar issues, the same day Israeli forces killed seven Palestinian gunmen and two civilians during a raid in disputed territory.
