Iran-Israel latest updates:Iran activates air defence system and diverts flights after explosions heard over Isfahan near major airbase

Explosions heard in Isfahan were a result of the activation of Iran’s air defence systems, an Iranian official told Reuters today, adding that no missile attack was carried out against Iran.

The Israeli military said that warning sirens which sounded early today in northern Israel were a false alarm.

The sirens had gone off shortly after unconfirmed reports of Israeli strikes in Iran.

Nuclear sites in Iran’s province of Isfahan remain unharmed, Iran’s state TV said today, as air defence systems were activated in the city of Isfahan against suspected drones.

Isfahan also is home to sites associated with Iran’s nuclear programme, including its underground Natanz enrichment site, which has been repeatedly targeted by suspected Israeli attacks.

Iran has fired its air defence batteries and shut down flight operations in several parts of the country following “explosions”.

Commercial planes began diverting their routes early Friday morning over western Iran without explanation as state media reported “explosions” had been heard over the city of Isfahan.

The incident comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East after Iran launched an unprecedented missile-and-drone attack on Israel in retaliation against a strike on Iran’s consulate in Syria earlier this month.

My colleague Alisha Rahaman Sarkar reports:

Hossein Dalirian, a spokesperson for Iran’s civilian space programme, said on the X social media platform that several small “quadcopter” drones had been shot down.

It wasn’t immediately clear where that happened or if it was part of the ongoing incident in Iran.

Dubai-based carriers Emirates and FlyDubai began diverting their flights around western Iran about 4.30am local time. They offered no explanation, though local warnings to aviators suggested the airspace may have been closed.

Iran later announced it grounded commercial flights in Tehran and across areas of its western and central regions. Loudspeakers informed customers of the incident at Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran, online videos purported to show.

Iran fired air defense batteries early this morning after reports of explosions near the city of Isfahan, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.It remained unclear if the country was under attack.

However, tensions remain high in the wider Middle East after Iran’s unprecedented missile-and-drone attack on Israel. One government official suggested sites may have been targeted by drones.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

IRNA said the defences fired across several provinces. It did not elaborate on what caused the batteries to fire, though people across the area reported hearing the sounds.

The semiofficial Fars and Tasnim news agencies reported the sound of blasts, without giving a cause. State television acknowledged “loud noise” in the area.

Isfahan is home to a major airbase for the Iranian military, as well as sites associated with its nuclear programme.