An Israeli weapon deployed in a retaliatory strike against Iran on Friday damaged a defense system responsible for detecting and destroying aerial threats near Natanz, a central Iranian city critical to the country’s secret nuclear weapons program, according to sources.
Details of the Strike
The strike was calculated to deliver a message to Iran that Israel could bypass Iran’s defense systems undetected and paralyze them, using a fraction of the firepower Iran deployed last week when it launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel. The attack caused minimal damage, as it was intercepted by Israel and its allies.
Damage to Iranian Air Defense System
The weapon struck an S-300 antiaircraft system at a military base in the province of Isfahan. Satellite imagery analyzed by The New York Times showed damage to the radar of an S-300 system at the Eighth Shekari Air Base in Isfahan.
It was unclear what type of weapon was used in the strike. Sources confirmed that Israel deployed aerial drones and at least one missile fired from a warplane. The missile, fired from a warplane far from Israeli or Iranian airspace, had technology to evade Iran’s radar defenses.
Iran’s military reported that they did not detect anything entering their airspace on Friday, including drones, missiles, or aircraft. Iran’s state news agency, IRNA, stated that no missile attacks occurred, and Iran’s air defense system was not activated.
