Iran Vows Retaliation After Israeli Strikes on Military Sites

 

Iran had vowed she would retaliate after Israeli strikes on her military sites at the weekend.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard leader, Hossein Salami, had claimed that Israel’s recent strikes on Iranian military targets failed to achieve their objectives.

In response to the attack, which followed Iran’s October 1 missile barrage, Salami warned of “unimaginable” consequences for Israel.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, stated Tehran would use “all available tools” to deliver a decisive response, though he did not specify the exact nature of the retaliation.

Meanwhile,  Hezbollah had announced that Naim Qassem will replace Hassan Nasrallah as the secretary general of the terror group.

Qassem previously served as Hezbollah’s deputy chief.

Also, Israel had recalled a few new details and revelations about the Israeli strike in Iran that we brought throughout the day on גלי צה״ל (all according to sources within the Israeli security establishment, without reliance on foreign publications, and of course – with the approval of the military censor):

1. The strike destroyed all of Iran’s strategic air defense capabilities, meaning all of its long-range surface-to-air missile batteries. Iran had two such models: the Russian S-300 and an advanced Iranian-made version. All the batteries were destroyed, along with long-range detection radars. Essentially, Iran is now left with only short-range air defense batteries of local Iranian models.

2. The primary damage to the air defense batteries occurred in Tehran and western Iran. In Tehran, this means making the Iranian capital exposed and vulnerable, while in western Iran, this is the region from which Iran launched its ballistic missile attacks against Israel, thus making this operationally efficient for the future.

3. IDF assessment: Iran has lost its strategic surface-to-air missile capabilities for the next two to three years. Russia will not be able to supply it with new systems due to the war in Ukraine, and it will take Iran a long time to produce new systems of its own.

4. According to reports, Iran holds over 2,000 long-range ballistic missiles. The existing arsenal was not affected—only the production capabilities for new missiles (such as the production mixers and related facilities). The implication is that Iran will now manage its missile arsenal with care, as its stockpile will not grow in the near future (for months or possibly years).

5. Contrary to various reports, there was no damage to Iran’s UAV systems.

6. Over 140 aircraft participated in the strike. More than 50% of the pilots and navigators involved were reservists.

7. The IDF anticipated that the Iranians might respond with a barrage of 200 ballistic missiles during the attack itself, while the planes were still in the air. The Air Force had a contingency plan that would both defend against such an attack and complete all three waves of the strike without skipping any targets. Ultimately, the Iranians chose not to respond immediately. A senior security official commented: “Every passing moment without a response indicates they are conducting damage control, thinking with their heads and not their hearts, and carefully considering their next steps.”

8. Preparations for a possible Iranian retaliation: This time, the Americans are expected to play a more significant role in defense and interception, both due to the THAAD battery stationed in Israel and three ships equipped with AEGIS defense systems capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, which also participated in intercepting the attack at the beginning of October. – Doron Kodesh

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