Israeli strikes mean Iran can no longer export missiles to Russia
Category: News & Politics
Via: krishna • 4 weeks ago • 23 commentsBy: George Grylls, Defence and Political Correspondent, The Times
Photo: The Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, denounced Israel’s “criminal aggression” and accused the Jewish state of “genocide in Gaza and warmongering in Lebanon” REX.
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S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Iran has been left powerless to export ballistic missiles to Russia for up to two years following Israeli airstrikes on weapons factories across the country.
Over 100 aircraft, including F-35 Lightnings, F-16 Falcons, F-15 Eagles, air-to-air refuellers and drones, took part in the Israeli attacks in the early hours of Saturday morning.
In particular, Israel appears to have targeted Iranian “planetary mixers”, used to make solid fuel for ballistic missiles.
Early analysis of the impact of the strikes suggests that Iranian missile production has been badly affected by the strikes, reducing Tehran’s ability to export weapons. Without the ability to mix fuel, Iran may be forced to appeal to China or other suppliers to help it restock, a process that could take many months.
Although the primary intention of the attacks was to hamper Iran’s ability to strike Israel following the 200 ballistic missiles fired earlier this month , a side-effect could be felt in Ukraine.
Last month the United States and Britain accused Iran of supplying short-range Fath-360 missiles to Russia as part of a burgeoning arms trade between Moscow and Tehran. Armed with a 150kg warhead, the Fath-360 has a range of up to 75 miles.
Iran has consistently denied sending drones and missiles for use in Ukraine but documents seen by The Times appear to confirm that a shipment of 100 missiles was sent from Amirabad Port in northern Iran through the Caspian Sea on August 30.
Packed into 25 containers, the delivery of the missiles was signed off by a Russian national, who is suspected of using a pseudonym.
“It will be a long time till the Iranians can export again,” said an intelligence source assessing the impact of the Israeli strikes. “A conservative estimate would suggest they won’t be able to send missiles to Russia for several months. But it could well be up to two years.”
Russia has become increasingly reliant on its allies to sustain its war in Ukraine, most recently recruiting 12,000 North Korean soldiers to join the fight . In addition to missiles, Iran has sent cheap Shahed-136 drones which Russia has used to grind down Ukrainian air defences.
The exchange of weapons goes both ways and Iran had been reliant on Russian air defences to see off Israeli attacks. Iran purchased the S-300 air defence system from Moscow in a $900 million deal.
In April Israel destroyed the radar of one S-300 battery protecting the Natanz nuclear facility outside Isfahan in retaliation for earlier Iranian strikes, a combination of 300 cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and drones launched in response to the Israeli bombing of the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus.
Israel continued the destruction of Iranian air defences on Saturday, systematically destroying the remaining three S-300 batteries at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport and the Malad missile base, according to The New York Times, citing Iranian sources.
Other targets included air defences protecting Iran’s energy infrastructure including at a major petrochemical complex and port at in Khuzestan, southern Iran and at the Abadan oil refinery on the Gulf.
Satellite images also suggested Israel hit two secretive military bases outside Tehran, including at Parchin, where Iran has previously tested explosives that could be used in a nuclear weapon.
The other site targeted by Israel was the Khojir military base, outside the Iranian capital, presumed to house Iranian missile factories and tunnels.
The UN atomic inspector confirmed that no Iranian nuclear facilities had been hit during the airstrikes. “Iran’s nuclear facilities have not been impacted,” wrote Rafael Mariano Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, on X.
“Inspectors are safe and continue their vital work"
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Iran has been left powerless to export ballistic missiles to Russia for up to two years following Israeli airstrikes on weapons factories across the country.
Over 100 aircraft, including F-35 Lightnings, F-16 Falcons, F-15 Eagles, air-to-air refuellers and drones, took part in the Israeli attacks in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Just one date for Iran to consider. 7 October 2023. Along with the hundreds of ballistic missiles fired into Israel since then, Iran is simply reaping what they have sown and payback's a real bummer!
Exactly! When the terrorists committed such unusually barbaric acts on October 7th, surely they must've realized that Israel's response would be great.
(In fact, I think that the unusual size and intensity of Israels response was exactly what the perps wanted!!!))
And then to show the grand hypocrisy of whining to the world that Israel violated Iran's sacred territorial sovereignty by retaliating and Iran trying to sound like they had the moral high ground. Pathetic and comical!
Of course it was, it enabled their planned psychological propaganda war to make the rest of the world hate Israel and sympathize for the human shields that Hamas knew would be part of its technique. The bleeding hearts throughout the rest of the world have been Hamas' patsies, and the antisemitic United Nations is gleeful about not being blamed for its UNRWA's complicity
Iran has consistently denied sending drones and missiles for use in Ukraine but documents seen by The Times appear to confirm that a shipment of 100 missiles was sent from Amirabad Port in northern Iran through the Caspian Sea on August 30.
“It will be a long time till the Iranians can export again,” said an intelligence source assessing the impact of the Israeli strikes. “A conservative estimate would suggest they won’t be able to send missiles to Russia for several months. But it could well be up to two years.
A great side effect of the Israeli strike, no more missiles from Iran to Russia.
This will undoubtedly make Trump-- as well as his BFF Vladimir Putin, very unhappy indeed.
Maybe Trump will send Putin some missiles for his personal use, like he did with our desperately needed Covid tests.
gee, I wonder how many mobile S300 sites putin has to spare ...
I found this ( Ukrainian site) from early May but update is needed:
As I have from the very beginning, I will not take sides in the Ukraine/Russia conflict, but I think it is hypocritical of any American to criticize Russia being aided by other nations considering the huge amount that America has been providing, pouring oil on the fire, to help Ukraine.
What about the drone production sites. I did not see or missed a mention of those.
I didn’t see anything on that, Doc but I would imagine that Israel slapped those as well.
Yes I saw where they listed the main Shahed facility targeted and expected a few months for that site to move or recover.
What about the drone production sites. I did not see or missed a mention of those.
Here's a highly relevant article from YNET English (an Israeli source):
UAVs have become Hezbollah's effective attack weapon in the war, causing deaths, injuries, heavy damage, and quite a bit of a headache for the Israeli Air Force; How did these simple drones manage to evade Israel’s sophisticated air defense systems? And how did Israel overlook this threat all these years?It discusses not only the drone situation that Israel faces, but has a lot of information about drone warfare in general.
(Drone warfare as well as counter-measures).
I will check it out. My thanks.
You're welcome!
In April Israel destroyed the radar of one S-300 battery protecting the Natanz nuclear facility outside Isfahan in retaliation for earlier Iranian strikes, a combination of 300 cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and drones launched in response to the Israeli bombing of the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus.
Satellite images also suggested Israel hit two secretive military bases outside Tehran, including at Parchin, where Iran has previously tested explosives that could be used in a nuclear weapon.
The other site targeted by Israel was the Khojir military base, outside the Iranian capital, presumed to house Iranian missile factories and tunnels.
The UN atomic inspector confirmed that no Iranian nuclear facilities had been hit during the airstrikes. “Iran’s nuclear facilities have not been impacted,” wrote Rafael Mariano Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, on X.
“Inspectors are safe and continue their vital work"
Not surprising, actually, that the UN atomic inspector feels that Iran's developping its nuclear program is "vital work").
I thought long ago that Iran had successfully "bought" the IAEA inspectors. Surely everyone is aware that Iran is almost there with what it takes to create an atomic bomb.
I don't think Iran would use a nuclear bomb on Israel because it would also wipe out a lot of its proxies in Gaza and Lebanon and the Palestinians and affect Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria, and the westerly winds might even cause problems in Iran itself. But on the other hand, I wouldn't be so secure about the USA, after watching The Sum of All Fears and being concerned about its being known in Iran as The Big Satan, and that Iran does a lot of its dirty work through its proxies.
I've thought the same thing.
And in terms of helping "The Palestinians" create yet another state--well so many of them are in areas bordering Israel--- or close by.
Conclusion? Nuking Israel would probably end any possibility of creating any new "Palestinian State" (And many other Arabs would be really pissed off at Iran!)