Latest news with #F-14
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Chinese Satellite Image Shows Destruction of Iran Drone Factory
New imagery released by a Chinese commercial satellite company has revealed the destruction of an alleged Iranian drone factory during Israel's two-week air campaign against Iran. Newsweek has contacted the Iranian Foreign Ministry and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) for comment. Iran's civilian-military infrastructure was targeted by a wave of Israeli airstrikes that began in the early hours of June 13 local time, with the attacks also targeting nuclear facilities in Tehran and in other cities. Iran's expanding drone program is central to its shift toward asymmetric warfare and regional deterrence. Tehran said it has accelerated the development and deployment of diverse drone facilities and systems. This growing capability has alarmed U.S. lawmakers. The undated satellite photograph published by China's MizarVision on Wednesday showed a warehouse near Mehrabad Airport in western Tehran that had been completely leveled, although the exact date of the hit was unclear. Open-source analyst Mehdi H., commenting on similar satellite imagery captured by Maxar on Tuesday, said the warehouse struck by the IDF had been used by the Iranian state-owned company Quds Aviation Industries to design and build unmanned aerial vehicles including its Mohajer drones. Newsweek could not independently verify the claim. According to the BBC, images authenticated in the aftermath of Israeli airstrikes showed that Mehrabad Airport had been struck several times, with satellite imagery revealing several damaged buildings around the area, including warehouses linked to Iran's defense industry. During its military offensive, the IDF said it had destroyed F-14 jets in central Iran and targeted military sites. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in his first statement since the ceasefire: "Anyone expecting Iran to surrender to another country is making a foolish and absurd claim that will certainly be ridiculed by wise and knowledgeable people. The Iranian nation is dear and will remain dear; it is victorious and will remain victorious, by God's grace." U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said: "The reality is…this was a historically successful attack we should celebrate as Americans, and it gives us a chance to have peace, chance to have a deal, and opportunity to prevent a nuclear Iran, which is something President Trump talked about for 20 years." The current ceasefire between Israel and Iran is holding, for now. Whether Iran is willing to reenter nuclear negotiations with the United States is another question. Related Articles Dan Caine Reveals Iran Strike Pilot's Words on Seeing ExplosionTrump Targets Media Over Disputed Iran Nuclear Strike ReportsIran's Khamenei Gives US Fresh Warning in First Statement Since CeasefireTrump Just Undid Decades of Nuclear Diplomacy | Opinion 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Chinese Satellite Image Shows Destruction of Iran Drone Factory
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. New imagery released by a Chinese commercial satellite company has revealed the destruction of an alleged Iranian drone factory during Israel's two-week air campaign against Iran. Newsweek has contacted the Iranian Foreign Ministry and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) for comment. Why It Matters Iran's civilian-military infrastructure was targeted by a wave of Israeli airstrikes that began in the early hours of June 13 local time, with the attacks also targeting nuclear facilities in Tehran and in other cities. Iran's expanding drone program is central to its shift toward asymmetric warfare and regional deterrence. Tehran said it has accelerated the development and deployment of diverse drone facilities and systems. This growing capability has alarmed U.S. lawmakers. Undated satellite imagery released by Chinese firm MizarVision on June 25, 2025, shows the destruction of an alleged Iranian drone factory near Mehrabad airport in western Tehran. The precise date of the strike was not... Undated satellite imagery released by Chinese firm MizarVision on June 25, 2025, shows the destruction of an alleged Iranian drone factory near Mehrabad airport in western Tehran. The precise date of the strike was not clear. More MizarVision What To Know The undated satellite photograph published by China's MizarVision on Wednesday showed a warehouse near Mehrabad Airport in western Tehran that had been completely leveled, although the exact date of the hit was unclear. Open-source analyst Mehdi H., commenting on similar satellite imagery captured by Maxar on Tuesday, said the warehouse struck by the IDF had been used by the Iranian state-owned company Quds Aviation Industries to design and build unmanned aerial vehicles including its Mohajer drones. Newsweek could not independently verify the claim. According to the BBC, images authenticated in the aftermath of Israeli airstrikes showed that Mehrabad Airport had been struck several times, with satellite imagery revealing several damaged buildings around the area, including warehouses linked to Iran's defense industry. During its military offensive, the IDF said it had destroyed F-14 jets in central Iran and targeted military sites. What People Are Saying Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in his first statement since the ceasefire: "Anyone expecting Iran to surrender to another country is making a foolish and absurd claim that will certainly be ridiculed by wise and knowledgeable people. The Iranian nation is dear and will remain dear; it is victorious and will remain victorious, by God's grace." U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said: "The reality is…this was a historically successful attack we should celebrate as Americans, and it gives us a chance to have peace, chance to have a deal, and opportunity to prevent a nuclear Iran, which is something President Trump talked about for 20 years." What Happens Next The current ceasefire between Israel and Iran is holding, for now. Whether Iran is willing to reenter nuclear negotiations with the United States is another question.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Aviation nerds are mourning Iran's F-14 Tomcats
Israel's attacks on Iran, starting with the killing of an Iranian nuclear negotiator, have proven controversial in the U.S. They also triggered a debate on whether to risk American blood in yet another Middle Eastern war. But some Americans are already mourning the loss of elderly Americans, specifically the remaining F-14 Tomcats in Iranian service. The plane became most famous for its starring role in 'Top Gun.' Tom Cruise was also in it, but the supersonic, swing-wing fighter used by nearly every pilot in the movie was certainly the star. It's like the fighter version of a convertible, if you could launch your convertible off a carrier. The F-14 Tomcat retired from American service in 2006, following the Navy's long transition to the F/A-18s and, later, the F-35 fighters currently in service. It was only exported once. That was to the Imperial Iranian Air Force of the American-backed Shāhanshāh Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, usually known as the Shah of Iran. Originally, the plan had been for America to send Iran 80 F-14s and over 700 Phoenix air-to-air missiles, allowing the American ally a huge advantage when fighting anti-American adversaries in the region, mostly Iraq. But when the Shah was deposed in 1979, America obviously didn't want to send its resources to an Islamic Republic built on rhetoric that demonized America and its allies. That proved prescient since Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini immediately instituted Sharia law and took a more hostile stance toward the U.S. and Israel, which had also formerly allied with the Shah. So the new Islamic Republic of Iran was left with 79 Tomcats and about 200 Phoenix missiles. That was enough to make a serious difference in the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-1988, but the Iranians lacked spare parts and additional missiles for the aircraft. Iran only ever got shipments of F-14 parts during the Iran-Contra Affair, a secret deal between Ronald Reagan's Administration and the Islamic Republic that sent arms and supplies to Iran through Israel. Iran's F-14s have been struggling to stay airborne ever since. So it was actually a pleasant surprise in 2022 when a single F-14 Tomcat took part in a flyover. For planes over 40 years old with nearly a decade of combat use and no spare parts, one out of 79 was a good showing. For F-14 nerds, the Iranian fleet represents the only chance of seeing one of these birds in action. To prevent further smuggling of spare parts to the Islamic regime, America locked down all of its own remaining F-14s in museums and at Davis Monthan Air Force Base. In 2007, it even made the decision to destroy all of its F-14 wing boxes, the linchpin of the Tomcat's sweep-wing design. And the Navy further shredded the entirety of most F-14s to prevent black market sales. Put simply, an F-14 without an intact wing box will never fly again; the wings would fall off. The tooling to manufacture new ones is no longer available, and none are known to exist outside of Iran. Few other parts for the F-14 exist outside of Iran and museums. So even though Iran could only muster one F-14 for the 2022 flyover, it still remains the greatest hope of any and all aviation nerds who wish to see the F-14 fly again. And that hope got a whole lot dimmer this week when Israel released footage of it hitting Iranian F-14s on the ground. The planes probably couldn't have flown anyway, but the direct hits in the video put the wing box and the rest of the components at serious risk. It's quite possible that the last flight of an F-14 was the last ever flight of an F-14. One possibility does gleam from inside the ash clouds, though it would take a few minor miracles in a row for it to work out for F-14 geeks. If the Islamic Republic of Iran falls due to the current violence, and if one or more F-14s survive the war, and if the missing components are replaceable with museum pieces or new manufacture, then there is a chance that the U.S. Navy could ask for key components from Iranian salvage and put back together a working F-14. With no foreign operators remaining, there would be little reason to keep the current, fairly extreme, safeguards around the F-14 in place. One or more F-14s could appear in air shows as a legacy flier. But that's a remote possibility. Again, the U.S. intentionally destroyed components so no smuggler could get the necessary parts to Iran. And any hope of reversing that damage will come in finding the exact components, in workable condition, in the flaming wrecks left behind by the Israelis. We Are The Mighty is a celebration of military service, with a mission to entertain, inform, and inspire those who serve and those who support them. We are made by and for current service members, veterans, spouses, family members, and civilians who want to be part of this community. Keep up with the best in military culture and entertainment: subscribe to the We Are The Mighty newsletter. 'Day of the Jackal' author Frederick Forsyth dies at age 86 Ukraine's new, drone-delivered weapon is basically a phallic claymore A self-taught snake expert's 200 snake bites may lead to a universal 'cure' for snake venom
Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Britain, U.S. warn Iran against Strait of Hormuz blockade
June 23 (UPI) -- Britain cautioned Iran Monday that attempts to block the Strait of Hormuz or to strike at American military facilities in the Middle East could lead to escalation, even as Israel continued its strikes on Iran. British Foreign Secretary David Lammysaid Monday that such actions would be a "catastrophic mistake." "It would be a huge, catastrophic mistake to fire at U.S. bases in the region at this time. We have forces in the region at this time," said Lammy in an interview with BBC Breakfast. The Iranian parliament moved Sunday to approve a measure to close the Strait in response to the American strikes on Iran over the weekend. The strait serves as a critical route for oil being shipped from Persian Gulf countries, but ultimately it will come down to whether Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei decides to move forward with such a plan. Close to 30% of the world's seaborne oil shipments are moved through the strait. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also commented Sunday against Iranian interference with movement through the strait. He spoke with Fox News and called on China to prevent Iran from closing the Strait of Hormuz. "I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that, because they heavily depend on the Straits of Hormuz for their oil," said Rubio, as China is a key oil customer of Iran. "The Persian Gulf and nearby waters are important route for international trade in goods and energy. Keeping the region safe and stable serves the common interests of the international community," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said in a press conference Monday. "China calls on the international community to step up effort to promote de-escalation of the conflict and prevent the regional turmoil from having a greater impact on global economic growth." Meanwhile, Israel Defense Forces announced Monday on social media that it "struck routes in order to obstruct access" to the Fordow nuclear enrichment site in Iran's Qom province. The IDF also proclaimed it attacked six Iranian airports "across western, central, and eastern Iran, destroying runways, underground hangars, refueling aircraft, F-14, F-5 and AH-1 aircraft." It further alleged the strikes "impaired takeoff capabilities from these airports, as well as the Iranian military's ability to operate its air force from them." Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Ottawa Citizen
5 days ago
- Politics
- Ottawa Citizen
Israeli Air Force attacks regime assets across Iran with 'unprecedented force'
The Israeli Air Force struck key regime targets across Tehran on Monday, including a headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Article content The IAF attacks on Iranian 'regime targets and governmental repression bodies' also targeted the headquarters of the Basij militia, the notorious Evin Prison for political prisoners, the clock that counts down to the 'destruction of Israel' in Palestine Square, as well as an 'ideology headquarters,' Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement. Article content Article content Article content 'Israeli Air Force fighter jets, guided by precise intelligence from the IDF Intelligence Directorate, struck command centres and assets belonging to the Internal Security Forces and the IRGC in Tehran, Iran,' the Israel Defense Forces said. Article content Article content 'As part of the strike, the headquarters of the Basij was targeted. The Basij is one of the IRGC's central armed bases of power. Alongside its other functions, it is also responsible for enforcing Islamic law and reporting civilians who violate it to the regime authorities,' the military's statement continued. Article content The targeted command centres are 'significant, both militarily and politically, and striking them harms the Iranian regime's military capabilities,' it added. Article content Israeli officials told Ynet that Jerusalem's security establishment believes that hundreds of IRGC members were killed in the latest wave of strikes. Article content Article content Another attack targeted access roads to the Fordow uranium enrichment plant in central Iran, one of the three facilities U.S. President Donald Trump has said were 'completely and totally obliterated' in airstrikes on Saturday. Article content Article content Israeli officials said the IDF strikes on Monday also targeted a vehicle and Iranian soldiers seeking to approach one of the entrances to the enrichment plant. Article content Earlier on Monday, the IAF targeted six airports across western, eastern and central Iran. The strikes focused on runways, underground hangars, a refuelling aircraft and several Iranian regime warplanes, including F-14 and F-5 fighter jets and AH-1 attack helicopters. Article content According to the IDF, the destroyed aircraft were intended for use against Israeli Air Force jets to hinder future strikes within Iranian territory. The attacks significantly disrupted takeoff capabilities at the targeted airports and degraded the Iranian military's ability to operate its air force from those locations.
