ISTANBUL

Iranian air defense intercepted “hostile” targets in the southern city of Mashhad on Thursday, local media said.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency said that an Israeli Hermes drone was also shot down in Lorestan province in western Iran.

Hostilities began between Israel and Iran on Friday, when Tel Aviv launched airstrikes on multiple sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes.

Israeli authorities said at least 24 people have been killed and hundreds injured since then in Iranian missile attacks.

In Iran, 585 people have been killed and more than 1,300 wounded in the Israeli assault, according to Iranian media reports.​​​​​​​