Tehran: An Iranian politician has slammed Israel’s alleged attack on Iran as a “desperate attempt” and a failure amid reports of explosions overnight in Iran – and a bombing in central Iraq that killed one and injured eight others at a military base.

The “bombing” in central Iraq hit the base at Calso where former pro-Iranian paramilitary group Hashed al-Shaabi – now integrated into the regular army – is stationed, a military official said.

Suggesting the attacks were by Israel, Mehdi Toghyani, an Iranian MP from Isfahan, condemned the alleged strike and said the Israel “failed and brought new disgrace for them”.

“Let them know that we are at peak readiness to protect our dear Iran,” he said.

Despite rising tensions, the response from both Iran and Israel has remained muted.

Analysts have interpreted Iran’s claims that the attack was executed by domestic “infiltrators”, rather than by Israel, to avert a retaliation.

Iran’s state media reported explosions in the central province of Isfahan as US media quoted American officials saying Israel had carried out retaliatory strikes on its arch- rival.

Israel had warned it would hit back after Iran fired missiles and drones at Israel almost a week ago, which in itself was a retaliation for a deadly strike on April 1 on Iran’s consulate building in Syria, widely blamed on Israel.

There has been no reaction from Israeli or Iranian officials and the extent of the damage remains unclear.

But the country’s army chief said Iran is ready for any further air attacks.

Kioumars Heydari, the commander of Iran’s ground forces, said the country remains alert for any potential aerial threats.

“If suspicious flying objects appear in the sky of the country, they will be targeted by our powerful air defence,” he said, according to state-owned media. “Even though last night’s objects were suspicious, our country’s defences reacted intelligently.”

Iraqi media revealed photographs of what it claimed was debris of an Israeli missile fired at Iran.

The missile remains were reportedly found by members of an Iran-aligned Shia militia.

Iran’s president Ebrahim Raisi hailed Tehran’s retaliatory strike against Israel last week but failed to mention the strikes in Iran.

That operation “showed our authority, our people’s will of steel and our unity,” President Raisi told crowds in the Semnan province, east of Tehran.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged both sides to cease retaliating.

“The Secretary-General reiterates that it is high time to stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation in the Middle East,” the statement read.

“The Secretary-General condemns any act of retaliation and appeals to the international community to work together to prevent any further development that could lead to devastating consequences for the entire region and beyond,” it continued.

Jordan, which shares a border with Israel and played a role in repelling the Iranian missile and drone attacks last weekend, warned against the “danger of regional escalation”.

The United Arab Emirates says “substantial solutions to the ongoing disputes and crises” in the Middle East must be found.

It comes as an anti-Israel demonstration has been staged in Iran’s capital.

Hundreds of people gathered on the streets of Tehran, with protesters holding signs opposing Israel and carrying portraits of the country’s leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Israel’s “aggression” towards Iran is an escalation against the entire region, Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official, said.