Iran says thwarted overnight drone attacks on military complex

TEHRAN, Iran

Iran says it thwarted drone attacks on a military complex in the central Isfahan province late on Saturday.

Iran’s Defense Ministry said one of its facilities came under attack from several micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) at around 11:30 p.m. local time (0200GMT) but air defenses successfully repelled them.

“One of the drones was intercepted by the air defense system and the other two were caught in defense traps and exploded,” the statement read.

The attack did not cause any loss of life, the ministry said, but resulted in minor damage to the workshop’s roof.

“The attack did not affect our equipment and mission, and such blind actions will have no impact on the continuation of the country’s progress,” the statement added.

Reports about the attack on the military complex in Isfahan circulated on social media late on Saturday, with videos showing a loud explosion and a flash of light.

There have been a number of sabotage attacks on military facilities and nuclear plants in Iran in recent years, with Tehran mostly blaming its regional arch-foe Israel.

One of the key targets has been the Natanz nuclear plant, located some 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of Isfahan city.

In a separate incident late on Saturday, a fire broke out at an oil refinery near the city of Tabriz in Iran’s northern East Azerbaijan province, resulting in extensive damage, the semi-official Fars News Agency reported.

At least one firefighter was injured in the blaze, with the cause still unknown, the report said.

These incidents coincided with a 5.9 magnitude earthquake in West Azerbaijan on Saturday night, which killed at least three people and left hundreds of others injured.