TEHRAN, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Iran intercepted an Israeli drone in the central province of Qom Friday evening, where the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant is located, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.
The air defense units in the province managed to track and destroy the Israeli drone, which had entered the province's airspace, Fars quoted Qom's Deputy Governor for Political and Security Affairs Morteza Heidari as saying.
He added that the province was in full security, and all security, rescue, and operational apparatuses were fully prepared.
According to the semi-official Mehr News Agency, an explosion was heard earlier in the day near Pakdasht city, southeast of Tehran, suggesting the blast may have been linked to air defense activity around the Parchin military site.
Separately, loud explosions were also reported in Malard and Shahriar counties, west of Tehran, according to Mehr, which said the source of the blasts had not yet been determined.
Meanwhile, Iran's state-run Press TV reported that Iranian air defenses had shot down an Israeli drone near the Fordow nuclear facility, located close to the central city of Qom.
Early in the day, Israel carried out airstrikes on Tehran and other cities across Iran.
Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri, Chief Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Hossein Salami, Gholam-Ali Rashid, commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, and Commander of the IRGC's Aerospace Division Amir Ali Hajizadeh were assassinated in the Israeli airstrikes on Tehran.
Following the attacks, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Israel must wait for a harsh punishment for its "crime" against Iran. ■
