An IDF fighter jet takes off on a mission over the Gaza Strip
Israel's attack on Iran appears to have been a precision strike that reportedly destroyed a key part of a Russian-made air defense system at a key airbase in Isfahan.
Satellite images also showed the “rolling radar” component of an S-300 air defense battery. damaged or destroyed Friday, according to analysts and the New York Times.
“The images showed a likely damaged 30H6E engagement radar,” said Chris Biggers, a former U.S. military analyst who works on the satellite imagery. analysis company HawkEye 360.
Four vehicles carrying missiles were also transported but did not appear to have been damaged, he said. “Their status and whereabouts are currently unclear.”
In 2016, Russia transferred an S-300 air defense battery to Iran.
The damaged radar equipment is located near the 8th Shekari Air Base, northeast of Isfahan, a city in central Iran where the sightings were detected early Friday morning sounds of numerous explosions.
The CNN report, also citing satellite imagery, said there was no evidence of significant damage at the air base, suggesting it was a deliberately limited attack.
“There appear to be no large craters in the ground and visible destroyed buildings,” CNN said.
Israeli media reports also suggest the attack targeted infrastructure used to supply air. cover for Natanz, a secret facility involved in Iran's nuclear program.
Israeli intelligence and defense analyst Ronen Solomon told The Telegraph: “From what we saw, the Israeli strike was aimed at neutralizing Iran's advanced air defense systems that cover the Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities, which are involved in enrichment and can turn it into uranium metal for bomb.
“It’s like a yellow card in football before a red card, which is a full blow to destroy them.”
Limited attacks
He said that by “limited attacks” he meant Iran. will now fight to restore defense systems, starting with systems around the city of Isfahan, a key area in terms of Iran's nuclear and defense capabilities.
Senior US military sources told Fox News that the attack was intended to be a warning to Tehran that Israel is capable of striking at its nuclear program if tensions escalate. It showed that Israel “can reach out and touch you,” the source said.
The Israeli strike was designed to show Tehran that it could surreptitiously bypass and paralyze Iranian defenses using some of the firepower Iran had deployed. Western officials told the New York Times last week.
Iranian officials have tried to downplay the attack and Israel has not publicly claimed responsibility for it, suggesting both sides are seeking to draw a line under the current fighting.
“What happened last night was not a strike,” Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Iran's foreign minister, told NBC News. “They looked more like toys that our children play with, rather than drones.”
As Amir-Abdollahian walked past a group of other journalists, he was asked if he had any comments about Friday's attack, a member of his delegation responded: “What strike?”
🇮🇷😂🇮🇱Journalists asked Iranian Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahin if he had any comments on today's Zionist strikes and whether Iran would retaliate.
Although the minister had no comment, a member of his delegation responded: — What strike? https://t.co/N1szdEdG2o pic.twitter.com/g7xJfdhjxQ
— Hawkeye1812Z (@Hawkeye1745) April 19, 2024
This comes after Iran launched a massive drone and missile strike on Israel over the weekend, which was almost entirely intercepted by Israeli and allied air defenses.
The attack was in response to a recent Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate building in Damascus, in which a senior member of the elite forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was killed.
However, overnight, Iran's foreign minister warned Israel against any further military action and said he was ready to launch another major strike against Iran. Israel if this happens.
“If Israel wants to commit another adventurism and act against the interests of Iran, our next response will be immediate and will be at the maximum level,” Mr. Amir-Abdollahian said.
“The media supporters of the Zionist regime desperately tried to make a victory out of their defeat, while the downed mini-drones did not cause any damage or casualties,” he also said.
Also At least one person was killed Saturday in an attack on Iranian-backed militia groups in Iraq. It is unknown who was behind the attack as the US denies any involvement.
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