Israel says its recent attack on Iran hit IRGC's space centre Tehran Threatens “Crushing Response”

Israel’s October 26 attack on Iran likely damaged a base run of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for ballistic missile construction, and for rocket launches as part of its space program, satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press (AP) showed.

The damage at the base in Shahroud raises new questions about Israel’s attack — which was a response to an Iranian barrage of some 200 ballistic missiles earlier this month — particularly as it took place in an area previously unacknowledged by Tehran and involved the IRGC, a paramilitary force that so far has remained silent about any possible damage it suffered from the assault, Caliber.Az reports, citing Israeli media.

It also potentially further restrains the IRGCs ability to manufacture the solid-fuel ballistic missiles it stockpiles, which it has used against Israel in its two direct attacks, in April and in October.

Satellite photos earlier analyzed by the AP of two military bases near Tehran also targeted by Israel show that sites there that Iran uses in its ballistic missile manufacturing have been destroyed, further squeezing its heavily sanctioned program.

“We don’t know if Iranian production has been crippled as some people are saying or just damaged,” said Fabian Hinz, a missile expert and research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies who studies Iran. “We’ve seen enough imagery to show there’s an impact.”

Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Israeli military declined to answer questions from the AP, but sent a previous statement acknowledging it targeted “missile manufacturing facilities” in the attack.

Meanwhile, IRGC Deputy Commander Mohammad Reza Naqdi claimed that Iran will soon respond to the Israeli strike on the country's territory.

He said that Iran will launch "even more crushing strikes" against Israel in the coming days. Tehran intends to "take the Jewish state by surprise" with its initiative and ingenuity, the military officer said.

To recall, Israel launched missile strikes on Iran on October 26. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the airstrikes targeted military plants involved in the production of rockets used to strike Israel, multiple installations, including surface-to-air missile systems and air defence facilities. The operation involved over 100 aircraft operating from a distance of 2,000 kilometres.

Israel said the attack was a retaliation for Iran's attack on Israel on October 1, which Iran claimed was an act of "self-defence" in retaliation for Israel's assassinations of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and IRGC general Abbas Nilforoushan.

By Khagan Isayev