Illustrative image. (Israeli Defense Forces)
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and the Mossad spy agency have released videos showing some of the strikes that targeted Iranian air defenses and ballistic missiles in the framework of the attack on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear facilities that began on June 13.
Four videos released by the IDF showed strikes on ballistic missile launchers, some concealed within shipping containers. Notably, some of the launchers were hit while moving, while others were targeted inside hardened shelters.
The strikes were very likely carried out by Israeli combat drones. At least one IAI Heron drone was spotted over the city of Tabriz, the capital city of East Azerbaijan province in western Iran, before the IDF announced a series of strikes on a large ballistic missile base nearby.
Four other videos released by the Mossad showed Israeli commandos attacking Iranian air defenses, including at least one Tabas medium-range system, in addition to a ballistic missile launcher. The commandos used what appear to be Spike-type optical-guided anti-tank missiles and an unidentified type of loitering munitions.
The Mossad was reportedly behind a large-scale covert attack on Iranian air defense in the center of Iran, including around the capital of Tehran. Meanwhile, air defenses in the west of the country were hit from a stand-off distance by the Israeli Air Force (IAF).
Israel launched the attack, codenamed “Operation Rising Lion,” in the early morning, stating that its main goal was to cripple Iran’s nuclear program.
Several nuclear sites were hit in the first wave of strikes, with the IDF reporting extensive damage at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility in the central province of Isfahan.
Beside the strikes on the nuclear sites, air defenses and missile bases, some 20 senior military commanders and six nuclear scientists were assassinated.
The videos released by the IDF and Mossad indicate that the Iranian air defense network was seriously weakened. The attack on the country’s command and control structure likely contributed to this failure. It remains unclear how Iran will fix this situation and retaliate. A morning attack with some one hundred suicide drone was repelled by the IAF.
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