Latest news with #Emanuel(Mannie)Fabian
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iran Just Used Ballistic Missiles With Cluster Warheads To Strike Israel
Iran fired at least one ballistic missile with a warhead containing multiple submunitions as part of a particularly destructive barrage on Israel earlier today. Ballistic missiles loaded with cluster munitions present additional complications for defending forces, especially when it comes to intercept attempts in the terminal phase of flight. Readers can first get caught up on recent developments in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict in our reporting here. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Home Front Command says the warhead on the missile in question split open at an altitude of approximately 23,000 feet (seven kilometers) and released an estimated 20 submunitions, Emanuel Fabian of The Times of Israel posted on X. The submunitions, each of which contained some 5.5 pounds (2.5 kilograms) of explosives, were scattered across an area approximately 10 miles (16 kilometers) in diameter. Whether or not this is the first time Iran has employed a ballistic missile with a cluster munitions payload in strikes on Israel is unclear. The cluster bombs are estimated to have 2.5kg of explosives each. — Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) June 19, 2025 At the time of writing, the exact type of Iranian missile that carried the cluster munition warhead is unclear. Iranian media outlets linked to the country's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) did share a video showing the launch of a Khorramshahr-4 medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) earlier this morning, prompting speculation about its use. The Khorramshahr-4 is also sometimes called the Kheibar (not to be confused with Iran's unrelated Kheibar Shekan ballistic missile), which is a reference to a seventh-century victory by Muslim forces over Jewish tribes. Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had also made a callback to that battle in the context of the current conflict in a social media post on Tuesday. However, the Khorramshahr-4/Kheibar footage that is now circulating widely online is from a test in 2023, and there do not appear to be explicit claims from Iran about its use. As of yet, no other evidence has emerged of Iranian forces having employed these missiles, with or without cluster warheads, in its retaliatory strikes on Israel. This is old testing footage released back in May 2023. — Fabian Hinz (@fab_hinz) June 19, 2025 The potential combat debut of the Khorramshahr-4/Kheibar is something experts and observers have been keeping an eye out for, as it is assessed to be one of the most capable longer-range ballistic missiles in Iran's inventory. The original Khorramshahr first emerged publicly in 2017, and it is assessed to be derived, at least in part, from the North Korean Hwasong-10, also known as the BM-25 Musudan. It is a liquid-fuel medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) with a claimed range of around 1,250 miles (2,000 kilometers). Iran has unveiled additional Khorramshahr variants since then, the most recent of which is the Khorramshahr-4/Kheibar, which made its public debut in 2023. At that time, Khorramshahr-4 was said to still have a maximum range of 1,250 miles (2,000 kilometers), but the possibility has been raised that it could have a longer reach. This is based in part on the underlying Hwasong-10/BM-25 design being an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), which the U.S. military has assessed in the past to have a maximum range in excess of 1,860 miles (3,000 kilometers). Khorramshahr variants could exchange some payload weight for extra range. Khorramshahr-4 is understood to have the heaviest payload of any of Iran's ballistic missiles, with it said to be able to carry a warhead weighing up to 3,300 pounds. Iran has also claimed in the past that Khorramshahr variants can carry multiple, smaller warheads. Video: #Iran successfully test-fires new ballistic missileDetails: — Press TV (@PressTV) September 23, 2017 In the past, Iran has also shown cluster munition warheads with designs that are in line, at least externally, with ones used on older ballistic missiles, especially variants and derivatives of its Shahab-3 liquid-fueled MRBM. The original Shahab-3 was based on North Korea's Nodong series of missiles, which were themselves developed from the Soviet Scud family. For the first time, a SUB-MUNITION from an Iranian BM was found in Israel. It is not yet clear on what type of missile it was installed. — Tal Inbar (@inbarspace) June 19, 2025 Khamenei is looking at a sub-munition for installation in missiles. Sub munitions were found today after an Iranian BM was hitting central Israel. — Tal Inbar (@inbarspace) June 19, 2025 'Iranian media has for years advertised these sorts of cluster warheads as being able to 'rain' down bomblets against a wide target when dispersed at a certain altitude,' Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) think tank, told TWZ. Iran has explicitly said it has fired Emad and Ghadr MRBMs, both of which are evolutions of the Shahab-3 design, at Israel in the past week. There is also clear independent evidence of this, visible in post-strike wreckage, including from the strikes earlier today. Video of the 14th wave of the Iranian ballistic missiles launch toward Israel (Operation True Promise-3) today, June 19, 2025. — Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) June 19, 2025 Image on left is a liquid propellant rocket engine, almost certainly from a missile in the Shahab-3 family.A copy of the North Korean Nodong engine, it is closely related to the engine used in the Soviet Scud-B. — Michael Duitsman (@DuitsmanMS) June 19, 2025 Emad and Ghadr (sometimes also written Qadr) entered service in the mid-2010s and are both understood to be able to reach targets up to around 1,056 and 1,118 miles (1,700 to 1,800 kilometers) away. Iran has also developed an extended-range version of Ghadr that is said to have a maximum reach of 1,242 miles (2,000 kilometers). In addition, Emad and Ghadr both feature maneuverable re-entry vehicles that detach from the main body of the missile in the terminal phase of flight, but they are generally assessed to be primarily focused on improving accuracy rather than evading enemy intercept attempts. Any kind of maneuvering re-entry vehicle does still present at least some degree of additional complexity for defending forces. Adding cluster munition warheads to the mix would increase the potential of Iranian ballistic missiles scoring hits on area targets, and increase the overall area a single missile could target at once. On a basic practical level, adding this capability to missiles like Emad and Ghadr makes sense given the relatively low accuracy they are understood to currently offer when fitted with unitary warheads. '[Sam Lair] and I estimated the 'circular error probable' (CEP) of the most accurate Shahab-3 variant, the Emad, demonstrated in Iran's March 2024 missile strike [on Israel]. We estimated the CEP at ~1.2 km [just under three-quarters of a mile],' Jeffery Lewis, head of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, wrote in a post today on X. 'That means whatever a Shahab-3 hits, Iran was most likely aiming at something else.' .@sam_lair and I estimated the "circular error probable" (CEP) of the most accurate Shahab-3 variant, the Emad, demonstrated in Iran's March 2024 missile strike. We estimated the CEP at ~1.2 km. That means whatever a Shahab-3 hits, Iran was most likely aiming at something else. — Dr. Jeffrey Lewis (@ArmsControlWonk) June 19, 2025 'The warhead can likely be married with several [missile types], but to strike Israel they all have to be MRBMs,' FDD's Taleblu also told TWZ. 'In this, instance the missile body is less important than the warhead.' As noted, ballistic missiles loaded with cluster munitions present additional challenges for defenders, especially if they cannot be intercepted before their warheads split open at higher altitudes. A very high altitude opening would also mean a more indiscriminate strike, which could be used to try to inflict as much damage as possible over a very wide target area, like a city. Typical cluster munitions are designed to release their payload at a specific height to saturate a more defined zone. Layering ballistic missiles with cluster munition payloads in larger salvos with other types carrying unitary warheads might also help create a decoy-like effect to further overwhelm an opponent's defenses. With this in mind, while the specific circumstances are still unknown, it is worth noting that the interception rate during Iran's particularly destructive missile barrage on Israel this morning was notably lower than what had been seen in previous salvos. A variety of other factors beyond the inclusion of cluster munition warheads could have played a role, as well. Video from Tel Aviv — Faytuks Network (@FaytuksNetwork) June 19, 2025 As part of its retaliatory strikes on Israel so far, Iran also says it has been using other ballistic missiles, including Sejjil, Haj Qassem, Kheibar Shekan, and Fattah-1 types, that further add to the complexity of the overall threat picture. Sejjil is a two-stage MBRM that is among the heavier payload designs in Iranian inventory. The Haj Qassem, Kheibar Shekan, and Fattah-1 are all solid fuel MRBMs. Compared to liquid-fueled ballistic missiles, solid-fuel types are generally faster and easier to launch, as well as safer to handle, reducing the total available time an opponent has to spot and preemptively target them before launch. Authorities in Iran have also explicitly touted these three missiles, all of which were unveiled in the past five years, as offering high terminal maneuverability and/or high peak speeds specifically intended to reduce their vulnerability to missile defense interceptors. The emergence of the Fattah-1 in 2023 was already seen as particularly significant, despite Iran's dubious description of it as a 'hypersonic' weapon. IRGC announces that the ballistic missiles used tonight in 12th wave of the True-Promise-3 operation were from the type Sejjil. — Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) June 18, 2025 New online analysis: 'Israel's attack and the limits of Iran's missile strategy' — Fabian Hinz (@fab_hinz) June 18, 2025 'To put the significance of the Fattah in context, it is better to put aside Iran's labeling of the system as a 'hypersonic missile' as the term can obscure more than it illuminates. Many surface-to-surface missiles achieve speeds within the atmosphere that cross the hypersonic threshold, that is greater than Mach 5,' Fabian Hinz, a research fellow for Defense and Military Analysis at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, wrote in 2023. 'It is not speed alone that distinguishes the two main types of weapons known as hypersonic weapons – hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs) and hypersonic cruise missiles (HCMs) – but also the ability to manoeuvre significantly during atmospheric flight, including at considerable cross-range.' These are points TWZ regularly highlights, and you can read more about the unique capabilities that highly maneuverable hypersonic weapons offer here. 'Fattah is neither of these two classes of weapon, but a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM),' but instead has a 'second stage [that] incorporates the warhead, aerodynamic controls and a small solid-propellant motor with a moveable nozzle for thrust vector control (TVC)' that 'resembles a maneuverable re-entry vehicle (MaRV) rather than a HGV.,' Hinz continued. 'Both MaRVs and HGVs are capable of atmospheric maneuvering at hypersonic speeds. A HGV's higher aerodynamic lift characteristics allow it to maneuver during mid-course flight, while a MaRV only does so for a short part of the flight in the terminal phase.' 'Iran attempted to overcome this limitation by mating a small TVC rocket motor to a MaRV, enabling exo-atmospheric maneuvering,' he added. 'The IRGC maintains that this arrangement will help the missile evade both endo- and exo-atmospheric interceptors. It also potentially offers improved accuracy over longer ranges.' Amid all of this, worrisome questions are already starting to emerge about the stocks of various types of anti-missile interceptors available to Israel, as well as U.S. forces in and around the country that have been helping to shoot down incoming Iranian threats since last week. As TWZ wrote in some of our previous coverage of the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict: 'The situation is something of a war of attrition over great distances. The question is will missile interceptors run out before Iran's ability to launch its own missiles does? At this time it seems Iran is on the downside of that equation, but midcourse intercept capabilities are especially limited in quantity and degradation of that defensive layer would put more stress on the terminal defense layer, even if fewer missiles are fired.' At the same time, Israel looks to have had significant success just in the past week in degrading Iranian ballistic missile capabilities. On Monday, Israel claimed it had destroyed a third of Iran's long-range surface-to-surface missile launchers. Though Iran continues to fire ballistic missiles at Israel, and they continue to cause casualties and physical damage, the size and frequency of the salvos have been significantly smaller than what many expected to see in the event of the conflict that has now erupted. Approx. 25 fighter jets struck over 40 missile infrastructure components directed toward Israel this morning, including missile storage sites and military operatives of the Iranian Regime. A loaded and ready-to-launch "Emad" missile launcher was also struck overnight. — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 18, 2025 What did the IAF accomplish in Iran last night? 20+ surface-to-surface missiles were dismantled minutes before they were to be launched toward Israel's home front. Approx. 100 military targets were struck in Isfahan, central Iran. Around 50 fighter jets and aircraft… — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 16, 2025 Iran is also likely to be keeping at least some stockpiles of ballistic missiles, including more capable types, in reserve should the conflict further expand in scale and cope, especially if the U.S. military were to take a more direct offensive role. More capable missiles may be increasingly required for strikes on Israel as Iranian forces are compelled to move further east to reduce their vulnerability to IDF strikes. Iran's new use of ballistic missiles loaded with cluster munitions underscores that it still has capabilities that have not yet been fully brought to bear that could add new dimensions to the ongoing conflict. Howard Altman contributed to this story. Contact the author: joe@
Int'l Business Times
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
WATCH: Iranian TV Broadcasts Live As Its Hit By An Israeli Airstrike
Iranian state broadcaster IRIB was broadcasting live from Tehran on Monday as it was hit by an Israeli airstrike amid escalating hostilities between the two countries. Images show a woman speaking along with an outside camera showing the city of Tehran before a loud noise is heard and the woman is seen abruptly leaving her seat. Dust can then be seen coming from the room and people can also be heard shouting. The Israeli Air Force has bombed the offices of Iran's state broadcaster IRIB in Tehran a short while ago. Footage shows the moment of the attack. — Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) June 16, 2025 Israel is conducting a new wave of strikes against Iran as hostilities continue. Earlier on Monday the Wall Street Journal reported that Tehran is "urgently" seeking to end hostilities, telling Arab intermediaries that it is ready to return to negotiating its nuclear program as long as the U.S. does not get involved in Israel's attacks. Iran also passed on messages to Israel claiming it is on both sides' interest to not escalate matters further. However, the outlet cautions the pursue might not have great chances of succeeding in the near future, considering that Israel has achieved air superiority over Tehran and other parts of Iran while reducing damage from counterattacks. In that scenario, Israel could seek to further damage the country's nuclear program before taking any steps towards ending the active conflict. The outlet did caution that, even though Israel has managed to kill much of Iran's top military brass, it still has not made much damage to the country's nuclear program, and would take a long air war to get the results it wants without U.S. involvement. In the meantime, Israeli forces have prepared for at least two weeks of strikes. Iranian officials also told the WSJ that Israel doesn't have a clear exit strategy for the conflict and needs the U.S. to inflict a serious blow to its nuclear program, especially at the Fordow uranium enrichment facility, which is buried deep inside a mountain. Iran has also not signaled it's willing to make more concessions than before, and has told Arab officials it could accelerate its nuclear program further if no agreement is reached soon. The country said last Thursday that it would continue enriching uranium after the UN's nuclear watchdog found Tehran was not complying with obligations meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon. It also announced a new enrichment site. After four days, at least 224 people have died in Iran, according to state media. 24 people have died in Israel as a result of Tehran's intensive missile attacks. Originally published on Latin Times
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iran Strikes Back
Dramatic views are now circulating online after Iran launched a large ballistic missile barrage against Israel as part of its retaliatory strikes. Iranian authorities had earlier said that Israel's decision to target its nuclear program, ballistic missile and other military capabilities, and top leadership figures, which began last night, had constituted a declaration of war and promised a massive response. Readers can first get up to speed on the ongoing Israeli campaign so far and the fallout from it already in our reporting here. Israeli authorities say that Iran launched fewer than 100 ballistic missiles, down from earlier estimates of at least 150 or higher, in two waves. In part, the Iranian missiles look to have targeted key anti-ballistic missile air defense sites, including in Tel Aviv, or at least have been aimed at overwhelming them. Though most of the missiles were reportedly intercepted, a small number made it through to the ground. Dozens of people were reportedly injured. Some 35 people were wounded in Iran's ballistic missile attack on Israel, according to medical woman is listed in critical condition, while four other people are moderately hurt. Nine are listed in light-to-moderate condition, while the rest are lightly hurt or… — Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) June 13, 2025 IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin says less than 100 ballistic missiles were fired from Iran at Israel in the two says most of the missiles were intercepted by air defenses or fell short before reaching the country."There are a limited number of impacts on… — Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) June 13, 2025 In video footage that has emerged so far, many of the missiles could be seen being intercepted at low altitudes deep into their terminal phases of flight. The videos below offer particularly close-up looks at one strike, which may have been targeting a key Israeli Ministry of Defense building in Tel Aviv, or what was likely Stunner/David's Sling air defense site nearby protecting it. A closer view of this hit. Crazy — Alireza Talakoubnejad (@websterkaroon) June 13, 2025 Footage from on the ground in Tel-Aviv, showing the impact earlier of a ballistic missile launched by Iran. — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 13, 2025 The Iranian ballistic missile appears to have missed the main Israeli Ministry of Defense building by about 360m and impacted near the Da Vinci apartment blocks seen on the left of the video. — Oliver Alexander (@OAlexanderDK) June 13, 2025 So far, Iran has fired some 150 ballistic missiles at Israel in two barrages, according to new IDF have been reports of nine impact sites, with some 15 people wounded, mostly in good condition, according to medics. — Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) June 13, 2025 Additional pictures and videos of incoming Iranian missiles, as well as at least some of them being intercepted, can be seen below. Iranian missiles over Tel Aviv. — Clash Report (@clashreport) June 13, 2025 Insane footage showing interceptions earlier over Tel-Aviv in Central Israel. — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 13, 2025 Incredible footage of intercepts. — Faytuks Network (@FaytuksNetwork) June 13, 2025 Missiles launched from Iran are intercepted as seen from Tel Aviv, Israel June 13, 2025. REUTERS/Jamal Awad — Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) June 13, 2025 Imagery of the aftermath of the strikes in Tel Aviv has also now begun to emerge. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 13, 2025 Visuals of the missiles being launched from Iran, as well as apparent celebrations of the retaliatory strikes in that country, are now circulating online, as well. Video of a wave of Iranian ballistic missiles launched from near the city of Parand towards Israel tonight. — Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) June 13, 2025 Video of the 2nd wave of Iranian ballistic missiles launched towards Israel tonight seen from the city of Jerusalem. — Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) June 13, 2025 Meanwhile, Iranians took to the streets to celebrate the attack — NEXTA (@nexta_tv) June 13, 2025 Israeli authorities have already threatened to further escalate their operations against Iran in response, saying that attacks within populated centers are a red line. There have been reports that an expanded target set could include Iran's oil and natural gas infrastructure. There also continue to be concerns that the growing conflict could spill over elsewhere in the region. Defense Minister Israel Katz says Iran has "crossed red lines after it dared to fire missiles at civilian population concentrations in Israel.""We will continue to defend the citizens of Israel and ensure that the Ayatollah regime pays a very heavy price for its heinous… — Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) June 13, 2025 Overall, the Israeli campaign against Iran, and the Iranian responses to it, are very much still in their early phases. Contact the author: joe@
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iran Strikes Back
Dramatic views are now circulating online after Iran launched a large ballistic missile barrage against Israel as part of its retaliatory strikes. Iranian authorities had earlier said that Israel's decision to target its nuclear program, ballistic missile and other military capabilities, and top leadership figures, which began last night, had constituted a declaration of war and promised a massive response. Readers can first get up to speed on the ongoing Israeli campaign so far and the fallout from it already in our reporting here. Israeli authorities say that Iran launched fewer than 100 ballistic missiles, down from earlier estimates of at least 150 or higher, in two waves. In part, the Iranian missiles look to have targeted key anti-ballistic missile air defense sites, including in Tel Aviv, or at least have been aimed at overwhelming them. Though most of the missiles were reportedly intercepted, a small number made it through to the ground. Dozens of people were reportedly injured. Some 35 people were wounded in Iran's ballistic missile attack on Israel, according to medical woman is listed in critical condition, while four other people are moderately hurt. Nine are listed in light-to-moderate condition, while the rest are lightly hurt or… — Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) June 13, 2025 IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin says less than 100 ballistic missiles were fired from Iran at Israel in the two says most of the missiles were intercepted by air defenses or fell short before reaching the country."There are a limited number of impacts on… — Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) June 13, 2025 In video footage that has emerged so far, many of the missiles could be seen being intercepted at low altitudes deep into their terminal phases of flight. The videos below offer particularly close-up looks at one strike, which may have been targeting a key Israeli Ministry of Defense building in Tel Aviv, or what was likely Stunner/David's Sling air defense site nearby protecting it. A closer view of this hit. Crazy — Alireza Talakoubnejad (@websterkaroon) June 13, 2025 Footage from on the ground in Tel-Aviv, showing the impact earlier of a ballistic missile launched by Iran. — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 13, 2025 The Iranian ballistic missile appears to have missed the main Israeli Ministry of Defense building by about 360m and impacted near the Da Vinci apartment blocks seen on the left of the video. — Oliver Alexander (@OAlexanderDK) June 13, 2025 So far, Iran has fired some 150 ballistic missiles at Israel in two barrages, according to new IDF have been reports of nine impact sites, with some 15 people wounded, mostly in good condition, according to medics. — Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) June 13, 2025 Additional pictures and videos of incoming Iranian missiles, as well as at least some of them being intercepted, can be seen below. Iranian missiles over Tel Aviv. — Clash Report (@clashreport) June 13, 2025 Insane footage showing interceptions earlier over Tel-Aviv in Central Israel. — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 13, 2025 Incredible footage of intercepts. — Faytuks Network (@FaytuksNetwork) June 13, 2025 Missiles launched from Iran are intercepted as seen from Tel Aviv, Israel June 13, 2025. REUTERS/Jamal Awad — Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) June 13, 2025 Imagery of the aftermath of the strikes in Tel Aviv has also now begun to emerge. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 13, 2025 Visuals of the missiles being launched from Iran, as well as apparent celebrations of the retaliatory strikes in that country, are now circulating online, as well. Video of a wave of Iranian ballistic missiles launched from near the city of Parand towards Israel tonight. — Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) June 13, 2025 Video of the 2nd wave of Iranian ballistic missiles launched towards Israel tonight seen from the city of Jerusalem. — Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) June 13, 2025 Meanwhile, Iranians took to the streets to celebrate the attack — NEXTA (@nexta_tv) June 13, 2025 Israeli authorities have already threatened to further escalate their operations against Iran in response, saying that attacks within populated centers are a red line. There have been reports that an expanded target set could include Iran's oil and natural gas infrastructure. There also continue to be concerns that the growing conflict could spill over elsewhere in the region. Defense Minister Israel Katz says Iran has "crossed red lines after it dared to fire missiles at civilian population concentrations in Israel.""We will continue to defend the citizens of Israel and ensure that the Ayatollah regime pays a very heavy price for its heinous… — Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) June 13, 2025 Overall, the Israeli campaign against Iran, and the Iranian responses to it, are very much still in their early phases. Contact the author: joe@
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel's Operation To Destroy Iran's Nuclear Program Enters New Phase
Israel is continuing with its operation aimed at neutralizing Iran's nuclear program, dubbed Rising Lion. Israeli forces have apparently already made use of drones and missiles launched by operatives from deep within Iran, as well as air-launched munitions, as you can read more about here. Iran has now also launched at least one retaliatory attack consisting of approximately 100 drones. Readers can first get caught up on the situation through our initial reporting here. Since the start of Operation Rising Lion last night, Israel has struck more than 100 major targets in Iran, including nuclear facilities and missile sites, and killed senior military commanders and scientists in what Tehran said was a 'declaration of war.' The IDF releases footage showing Israeli Air Force fighter jets heading out for the strikes in Iran this morning, as well as landing following the attacks. — Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) June 13, 2025 The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have provided additional information about one of the key nuclear targets that they went after overnight. This is the uranium enrichment site in the Natanz area, a particularly tough target that is understood to be buried more than 130 feet below ground and which is protected by a steel and concrete shell. It was targeted by Israeli Air Force (IAF) fighters. According to the IDF: 'This is the largest uranium enrichment site in Iran, which has operated for years to achieve nuclear weapons capability and houses the infrastructure required for enriching uranium to military-grade levels. As part of the strikes, the underground area of the site was damaged. This area contains a multi-story enrichment hall with centrifuges, electrical rooms, and additional supporting infrastructure. In addition, critical infrastructure enabling the site's continuous operation and the Iranian regime's ongoing efforts to obtain nuclear weapons were targeted. We will continue to operate to prevent the Iranian Regime from acquiring nuclear weapons.' IAF fighter jets, guided by precise intelligence, struck the Iranian regime's uranium enrichment site in the Natanz area overnight. This is the largest uranium enrichment site in Iran, which has operated for years to achieve nuclear weapons capability and houses the… — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 13, 2025 Timelapse of the past year at the underground facility near Natanz which may be the third enrichment facility the Iranians announced earlier spoil piles suggest continued excavation and lots of work on the to our friends @planet — Sam Lair (@sam_lair) June 12, 2025 It's going to be a two pot of coffee kind of day… One of the latest @umbraspace collects from last night's strikes on Iran. — Chris Biggers (@CSBiggers) June 13, 2025 A video released by the IDF shows the destruction of an Iranian surface-to-surface ballistic missile that was apparently disguised as a commercial truck: חיל-האוויר השמיד טילים בליסטיים שכוונו למדינת ישראל.תיעוד מתקיפת טילי קרקע-קרקע באיראן: — Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) June 13, 2025 A video that shows the aftermath of Israeli strikes on Tabriz, reportedly targeting an Iranian ballistic missile facility. The extent of the secondary explosions could well indicate the presence of solid fuel associated with ballistic missile storage and/or production: Footage of multiple major secondary fires and explosions in Tabriz, Iran, after a series of Israeli strikes this aircraft reportedly struck an Iranian ballistic missile facility. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 13, 2025 Also reportedly taken in Tabriz, the following video claims to show an Israeli Heron drone operating over the city: An Israeli drone was reported hovering over the northwestern Iranian city of Tabriz. : Submitted — Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) June 13, 2025 More details are now coming to light about some of the individuals who were targeted. The IDF says that they eliminated multiple senior officers within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force. Reportedly, IAF fighters struck an underground IRGC Air Force HQ overnight, killing the commander of the service, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, together with senior officers, among them drone chief Taher Pour and air defense head Daoud Shaykhian. The commander of the IRGC Air Force, Brig. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Iran overnight, the IDF to the military, the top brass of the IRGC Air Force was killed alongside him as they met in an underground command center to… — Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) June 13, 2025 Previously, Iranian state media had confirmed the deaths of the head of the Revolutionary Guards, Gen. Hossein Salami, the Army Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, the commander of the Khatam al-Anbia Joint Forces Headquarters, Maj. Gen. Gholamali Rashid, and six nuclear scientists, including Fereydoun Abbasi, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization from 2011 to 2013. KashirinThis is how Israel works. A missile strike was launched directly into a residential building. Even the windows were intact. The strike was aimed right at the bedroom of a member of the Iranian General Staff. That is, they literally hit the man in the forehead with a… — Ukraine Front Line (@EuromaidanPR) June 13, 2025 Meanwhile, Israel appears to be making good on Prime Minister Benjamin's assertion that the process of 'rolling back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival' will take 'many days.' The IAF says that operations against Iran are continuing, including flexing to more defensive operations, to bring down drones launched by Iran against Israel in response to Operation Rising Lion. The IAF has released footage showing F-16 fighters taking off to shoot down the drones, at least 100 of which have reportedly been launched at Israel. Although the IDF has said it has 'control over the situation,' not all of the drones have been shot down. Iranian attack drones, including Shahed variants, have been launched towards Israel, starting Iran's retaliatory strikes. Seen here, an Iranian Shahed-136 flies low over eastern Iraq, heading westward. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 13, 2025 A tweet from the IAF shows a pair of F-16s about to launch to intercept Iranian drones: חיל-האוויר ממשיך לפעול ליירוט כלי טיס בלתי-מאוישים ששוגרו מאיראן לעבר מדינת ישראל — Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) June 13, 2025 Footage from the ground in Iran indicates that Israel is continuing offensive operations, as well. The IDF campaign has included efforts to degrade and disable the Iranian air defense system, which will allow the IAF to operate more freely in and around Iranian airspace. Israeli sources claim the IDF struck a site in the Hamadan province of Iran used as a command center for all of Iran's air defense systems, which may explain the minimal response from Iranian air defenses. — OSINT Aggregator (@AggregateOsint) June 13, 2025 Israeli strikes continue on sites around the city of #Kermanshah.#Iran. — Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) June 13, 2025 At least one unverified video claims to show IAF aircraft operating with impunity 'in Iranian airspace,' including an F-16 taking on fuel from a 707 Re'em tanker, although the legitimacy of this claim cannot be confirmed. This is beyond jets are refueling over Iranian — daniel (@LionsOfZion_ORG) June 13, 2025 The IDF has released pictures and videos showing strike aircraft armed with a mix of weapons, including Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) precision-guided bombs and Rampage missiles, which are an adaptation of a ground-launched precision-guided artillery rocket. Notable that many of the F-15s and F-16s in #IAF footage – supposedly from last night – are carrying 2000lb GBU-31(V)1 JDAMs. Suggests Israel has established sufficient control of the air to operate directly over Tehran and Natanz without relying on standoff weapons like Rampage — Justin Bronk (@Justin_Br0nk) June 13, 2025 RAMPAGE peeking out on the right — Abd (@blocksixtynine) June 13, 2025 There are also signs that the Israeli strikes may be switching their focus to Iranian airpower, with reports from Iran of attacks on at least two Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) bases, Noje Air Base in Hamadan province and Tabriz Air Base in East Azerbaijan province. A video purported to show the aftermath of an airstrike on the latter shows a column of smoke rising above it. Fars News Agency: Nojeh Air Base in Hamadan was bombed by Israel twice in the past hour — Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) June 13, 2025 Israeli aircraft struck the Iranian Air Force's Tabriz Airbase, with a massive plume of smoke seen rising over the area. The base is home to a mix of Iranian MiG-29s and F-5s from the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd tactical fighter squadrons. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 13, 2025 Israeli forces hit Iran's Tabriz Airbase again this afternoon, with new pillars of smoke seen rising over the Airbase, a key installation covering northwestern Iran, has been hammered by the Israeli Air Force today. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 13, 2025 Reflecting the intensity of the IAF air operations so far, there have been multiple sightings of discarded drop tanks, jettisoned by F-15s in the course of their missions, as seen in the tweets embedded below. An external fuel tank, likely for an F-15I 'Ra'am' Strike Fighter with the Israeli Air Force, was discovered in the Daraa Governorate of Southwestern Syria. — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 13, 2025 İsrail F-15'lerine ait 600 galonluk yakıt tankları Suriye'de. — Cem Doğut (@DogutCem) June 13, 2025 Foreign powers around the world are also reacting to the still-evolving situation. Today, U.S. President Donald Trump described the attack as 'excellent' and warned further strikes would be more brutal unless Tehran agreed to back down over its nuclear program. This contradicts Washington's previous official stance that Israel's action against Iran has been unilateral. I just spoke to President Trump and asked him about the Israeli attack on Iran. Here's what he told me:"I think it's been excellent. We gave them a chance and they didn't take it. They got hit hard, very hard. They got hit about as hard as you're going to get hit. And there's… — Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) June 13, 2025 'There has already been great death and destruction, but there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end,' Trump said in a social media post. FROM PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP:'I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal…' — The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 13, 2025 In another post, the U.S. president suggested Israel had attacked a day after a 60-day deadline he had given Iran to secure a deal had run out and indicated vaguely that Iran might have a 'second chance.' This is a developing story, and we will continue to update it as more information becomes following video claims to show the evacuated Ben Gurion International Airport, Israel's main international air transport hub, on the outskirts of the city of Lod. The airport was closed until further notice earlier today, due to concerns about possible retaliatory strikes from Iran. Publicly available flight data from today also indicates that airlines cleared out of the airspace over Iran, Iraq, and Jordan. #Israel Ben Gurion int. airport evacuated from — C4H10FO2P (@markito0171) June 13, 2025 While the following video cannot be verified, it's claimed to show a pair of IAF C-130J transport aircraft flying at very low level over southeast Syria, close to the border with Iraq. If that's the case, the airlifters could have been involved in transporting Israeli commandos out of Iran after the first strikes of Operation Rising Lion. Reports from Israel, citing an unnamed Israeli security source, suggest that the strikes included the use of drones and missiles launched by operatives from deep within Iran. VIDEO: Syrian shepherd up at sunrise films two Israeli Air Force C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft flying at a very low altitude over Al-Hammad in southeast Syria, near the border with Iraq, apparently coming from the direction of Iran. — Avi Mayer אבי מאיר (@AviMayer) June 13, 2025 The Israeli Navy, as well as the IAF, has been active in intercepting drones inbound from Iran. The following footage, published by the IDF, is said to show the interception of a drone over the Red Sea by an Israeli Navy Sa'ar 6 class corvette. As you can read about here, the Sa'ar 6 is well equipped for such air defense missions, being armed with Barak-8 surface-to-air missiles plus a pair of Rafael C-Dome systems, which are armed with Tamir missiles. Footage showing the interception earlier of a drone launched from Iran over the Red Sea, by a Sa'ar 6-Class Corvette with the Israeli Navy. — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 13, 2025 Contact the author: thomas@
