Or hyped up. Whichever? I’m relieved. It was looking very frightening last night. So, far it seems Iran hasn’t suffered any great loss. 4 deaths have been reported. Iran’s air defences seemed to have been very effective. It’s also interesting to consider that Israel had to actually fly, in planes, towards Iran to target them. Iran didn’t have to do this, their missile strikes being very effective. Any thoughts? Share them!
I’m reading lots of posturing from Israel and the US in particular. Less so from Iran. Jordan denies the use of their airspace, but, it seems to me Israel would have used it. Jordan is filled with Palestinian refugees and is pretty much controlled by the US/UK.
Jordan denied allowing Israel to use its airspace for its strike on Iran on Saturday, with the military issuing a statement to clarify its stance.
A military source in the Jordanian army said, “no military aircraft were allowed to cross Jordanian airspace” and that “armed forces were closely following the military escalations that occurred during the past hours”.
There is nothing being reported that suggests Israel entered Iranian airspace. This would have been extremely provocative. For the time being, I’m not getting the impression Israel is looking to be provocative. For now
. Because the US election is upcoming and the shaky ground the global economy is standing on were being considered. This includes for Israel whose economy is in a mess.
By all accounts I’ve seen so far 4 military persons were killed in Iran
Jerusalem Post
‘Backbone of Iran’s missile industry’ destroyed by IAF strikes on Islamic Republic – report
I’m questioning some of the claims made in this article. How are we defining the “backbone” of Iran’s military? Who is defining the strikes as hitting the backbone? Is Israel defining this term?
The targets struck were sophisticated equipment that Iran could not produce on its own and had to be purchased from China, Walla reported. The targets were a critical component of Iran’s ballistic missile program,
Walla cited three anonymous Israeli sources as saying.
Okay?
The Arabic independent online newspaper Elaph reported Israel targeted a secret ballistic missile factory in Iran
The report said that the ballistic missile factory was completely destroyed. One (anonymous) source told Elaph that it was the “backbone of Iran’s missile industry” and that Israel had “put it out of service,” also reporting that each heavy fuel mixer destroyed was estimated to be at least two million dollars and about twenty mixers of this type were destroyed
Elaph is published in London. Israeli media is presenting it in a way that obfuscates this reality Elaph was launched by Elaph Publishing in London in 2001 Elaph is managed by Integrated Intelligent Solutions (IN2SOL), a Middle East provider of IT services.I’m unsure what Elaph really is? And have never heard of it previously.
- Israel struck Iran from Iraq airspace- That makes sense.
- Undoubtedly using the north of Iraq where the US has bases alongside it’s Kurdish proxies
- There is one in this area I’ve come across again and again and again– very strategically located!
No oil or nuclear sites were struck- for now
Crucially, there was no indication that Iran’s oil or nuclear sites were struck. Iran insisted the strikes caused only “limited damage,” and Iranian state-run media downplayed them. Taken together, the moves suggested at least for now that both countries are trying to avoid a more serious escalation.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations accused the U.S. of complicity in the attack, asserting that the U.S. controls Iraqi airspace.
Israel’s attack did not take out highly visible or symbolic facilities that could prompt a significant response from Iran, said Yoel Guzansky, a researcher at Tel Aviv’s Institute for National Security Studies who formerly worked for Israel’s National Security Council.
It also gives Israel room for escalation if needed, and targeting air defense systems weakens Iran’s capabilities to defend against future attacks, he said, adding that if there is Iranian retaliation, it should be limited.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized the decision to avoid “strategic and economic targets,” saying on X that “we could and should have exacted a much heavier price from Iran.”
It looks as if Iran’s air defence functioned fairly well
But soon after Israel’s attack, which it said hit 20 military targets and that lasted several hours, life in Iran appeared to return to normal, with shoppers crowding markets, traffic snarling the streets of the capital and residents making the usual commute to work.
Iran’s battered currency also rose slightly on Saturday, following reports that the attacks were less extensive than many feared. “Iranian markets under the umbrella of air defense,” read one headline from the government-owned Mehr news agency.
“Iran’s nuclear facilities have not been impacted,” Rafael Mariano Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, wrote on X
Saudi Arabia led the regional outcry, with its Foreign Ministry condemning the strikes as a violation of Iran’s sovereignty and international law. Riyadh urged international action to prevent further escalation in the region.
Several nations, including Malaysia, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon, issued statements condemning the strikes as severe threats to regional security. Malaysia criticized the attack as undermining stability, while Jordan called it a “dangerous escalation.” Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry described it as a direct violation of Iran’s sovereignty with implications for international security, calling on the United Nations to act.
The UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman echoed similar concerns. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry expressed worry over potential “serious repercussions” and called for restraint, while Oman denounced Israel’s actions as a blatant breach of international law. The UAE expressed its deep concern over the continued escalation and its repercussions on security and stability in the region.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry also announced that it follows with grave concern the dangerous escalation of tensions in West Asia, most recently the Israeli attack on Iran.
“We condemn all actions that threaten the security and stability of the region,” the Egyptian ministry added.
Neighboring Pakistan and Turkey also spoke out, with Pakistan’s Prime Minister condemning the strikes and urging peaceful dialogue, and Turkey framing Israel’s actions as a regional threat. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif stated on Saturday that Pakistan stands with Iran and its neighbors in their pursuit of peace. He also called on all parties involved to exercise restraint to prevent further escalation.
2 replies on “Israel’s Strikes On Iran: Less Than Had Been Anticipated”
Hi Penny:
This looks to me that Israel is backing down from their threats. To save face, they have staged a propaganda event suggesting they did lots of damage to Iran while actually doing next to none to allow Iran to not launch a significant response. This was also a good demonstration of Iran’s missile defence bolstered by Russian missile defence. Perhaps the US told Israel they would not back them in an all out war. This result suggests to me that this may end the threat of WW3, at least in this area of the world.
Hi Gary!
It does indeed look as if Israel has backed down, at least for now, and yes to save face they are definitely spinning, some fantastical narratives- Been reading a bit today some of the claims are over the top, from anonymous officials etc.,
Yes, the missile defences looked very effective- Managed to see a few videos of interceptions as they took place. Not sure how many were intercepted vs how many got through but I can’t find solid info on what was hit vs what Israel is claiming hit vs what Iran is saying.
I’ve seen reports that Iran has the Russian s-400.
Forbes 2023
Israeli officials believe that a potential Iranian acquisition of advanced Russian S-400 air defense missile systems could complicate a potential strike against that country’s nuclear program
https://www.forbes.com/sites/pauliddon/2023/03/16/would-russian-s-400-missiles-constitute-a-game-changer-for-irans-air-defense/
Then there were reports Iran did receive some of these systems earlier this year
Unconfirmed
https://bulgarianmilitary.com/2024/08/06/iran-receives-first-deliveries-of-s-400s-from-russias-almaz-antey/#google_vignette
“Reportedly, on August 2, a Russian transport aircraft was observed landing at Tehran International Airport. The aircraft in question was an Il-76TD operated by Gelix Airlines, which is known for being used by Moscow for military deliveries under the guise of a civilian carrier, lacking any military insignia. It’s plausible that this flight marked the first delivery of the S-400 systems, despite lacking independent confirmation.”
“Perhaps the US told Israel they would not back them in an all out war. ”
They might have? Or maybe they won’t back them now but will after the election? Or maybe they won’t back them at all?
“This result suggests to me that this may end the threat of WW3, at least in this area of the world.”
I hope you’re correct!!! I’m less optimistic. What is concerning to me is that Israel is very aggressive in that region. They are the mini me to the US’s global hegemony. They’ve wanted their Greater Israel for sooo long now, I can’t see them giving up on this idea. But, who knows? As always I’ll keep an eye on the situation to the best of my ability.