The Israeli military did not confirm the attack, but tensions have been escalating since Iran's unprecedented assault on Israel during its conflict with Hamas in Gaza and Israel's strikes against Iranian targets in Syria.

No Iranian officials directly acknowledged the Israeli involvement.

At the G7 meeting in Capri, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced that the U.S. had received last-minute information from Israel about an attack on Isfahan, Iran.

American officials remained silent on the matter, but unnamed U.S. officials were quoted by American broadcast networks as confirming Israel's involvement.

Anonymous Israeli officials also claimed responsibility for the assault, which occurred on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's 85th birthday.

Israeli politicians hinted at the attack, and air defense batteries were activated in response to reports of drones in several provinces.

An Iranian army commander, Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi, reported that crews had targeted several flying objects in the sky over Isfahan, Iran.

Mousavi stated that the explosion was caused by the shooting of air defense systems at a suspicious object, which did not result in any damage.

Some speculated that the objects could have been quadcopters, small drones commercially available.

Authorities also reported that air defenses had engaged a major air base in Isfahan, home to Iran's fleet of American-made F-14 Tomcats, purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.