Tel Aviv: Israel Defence Force’s chief military spokesman, Brigadier General Efi Defrin, on Friday informed that over 100 suicide drones have been fired by Iran in retaliation after Israel’s airstrike.
Speaking about the airstrikes, he stated that his country had sent as many as 200 fighter planes to infiltrate and attack Iran. These fighter jets included aircraft like the F-35 stealth fighter as well as the F-16. Tel Aviv attacked more than 100 targets in Iran, and for this, as many as 330 bombs were dropped. As per Israel, the operation has not stopped yet. According to reports, Iran’s nuclear center at Natanz has suffered severe damage in the Israeli attack. Several Iranian military officers and nuclear scientists have lost their lives during the attack.
Several commanders including Iran’s IRGC chief Hossein Salami and Iran’s Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri have also been killed in these attacks. Claiming the US’s backing in the attack, Iran Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi told state TV that “Israel and the United States will pay a heavy price for this attack.”
How Devastating Was The Attack?
- As per IDF spokesperson EFI Dafrin, over 200 fighter jets attacked over 100 targets in Iran and dropped over 330 guided munitions so far.
- F-35I Adir: In this operation, Israel used its biggest strength, the F-35I Adir stealth fighter jet. The fighter jet is the Israel-specific variant of the US F-35 jet. The country may used it to drop GBU-39 SDB glide bomb. The jet is loaded with electronic warfare, advanced AESA radar and satellite-integrated intelligence.
- F-16I Sufa fighter jets were also in the attack team and taken part in this Israeli operation. It is called the backbone of Israel’s strike force. F-16I Sufa is a custom version based on the American F-16D and is loaded with three external fuel tanks, 8x GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs (SDB) and 2x AIM-120B AMRAAM air-to-air missiles for long-range strike missions.
- GBU-39 SDB: The Made in US GBU-39 SDB (Small Diameter Bomb) bomb is a 114 kg glide bomb with a range of up to 110 kms.
- AIM-120B AMRAAM Missile – Tel Aviv has also used AMRAAM missile in its operations.
- Amidst escalating tensions surrounding Iran’s accelerating nuclear program, Iran faced international condemnation. The International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors issued its first censure of Iran in two decades, citing a lack of cooperation with IAEA inspectors.
- Its been several years that Israel has warned it wont allow Tehran to make nuclear weapons.
- The United States has initiated precautionary measures in the Middle East, including the withdrawal of some diplomats from Baghdad and the provision of voluntary evacuation options for U.S. military families in the region.
- Donald Trump advised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to delay any military action against Iran, citing ongoing US negotiations. Trump stated that initiating military action could jeopardize the potential for a diplomatic agreement.