Illustrative image. (The Israeli Defense Forces)
The number of Iranian officers killed in the Israeli attack that targeted the Islamic Republic early on October 26 has risen to four.
Iranian state-run media mourned two more officers, Sajjad Mansouri Mehdi Naqavi, with reports indicating that they were air defense operators, just like the first two casualties mourned by the military earlier, Hamzeh Jahandideh and Mohammad Mahdi Shaherkhifar.
The early morning attack on Iran, which was a response to the October 1 large-scale missile strike on Israel, was carried out in several waves over the course of several hours with blasts being reported in the Iranian capital, Tehran, as well as in the provinces of Karaj, Isfahan and Shiraz.
During the attack, Syrian state media reported that Israel struck several military sites in the south and center of the country. Israeli fighter jets were also spotted over Jordan.
Some 100 aircraft of the Israeli Air Force took part in the attack, which the Israeli military dubbed “Days of Repentance.” The first wave of the attack reportedly targeted Iran’s air defense capabilities, while the second hit drone and ballistic missile manufacturing sites, as well as sites used to launch such weapons.
Iran confirmed an Israeli attack had targeted military sites in Tehran and other parts of the country, but said it had caused “limited damage” and that air defense systems had successfully countered much of the attacks.
A fire was reported at a military site to the southwest of Tehran, where a MIM-23 Hawk medium-range air defense system is known to be deployed. Damage was also reported at an alleged drone factory in the town of Shamsabad, to the south of the capital.
In addition, The New York Times reported that an S-300 long-range air defense was targeted at Imam Khomeini International Airport near Tehran, three Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps missile bases and the secretive Parchin military base on the outskirts of the capital were targeted.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said that the Islamic Republic was obliged to “defend itself” following the deadly Israeli retaliatory attack.
“Iran has the right and the duty to defend itself against foreign acts of aggression,” the ministry said in a statement, citing Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
It’s worth noting that the Israeli attack drew condemnations from several countries, including close allies of the United States like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
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