Israeli air force achieved freedom of operation in Tehran's airspace, IDF says
Israel Defense Forces has achieved full freedom of operation in the air space around Iran 's capital Tehran, the IDF announced on Saturday.
Why it matters: Other than the military implications of being able to freely hit targets where Iran's main military command and control headquarters are located, it is also a political message that Iran's leadership and government symbols are exposed to Israeli attacks.
What they're saying:"We established aerial freedom of operation in western Iran, up to Tehran... Tehran is no longer immune—Iran's capital is now exposed to Israeli strikes," IDF spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said in a press conference.
Driving the news: IDF officials said in a briefing with reporters that over the last 36 hours since Israel launched the war against Iran the Israeli air force has eliminated the Iranian air defenses that could threaten Israeli fighter jets on their way to Tehran.
On Saturday morning, 70 Israeli fighter jets flew more than 900 miles, spent more than two hours in Tehran's airspace and attacked dozens of target in the Iranian capital, the IDF said.
"We struck over forty missile-related targets and advanced air defense systems across Iran, alongside additional command and launch infrastructure," Defrin said.
He added that dozens of Israeli "aerial platforms" are operating freely over Tehran. "This is a region where the Air Force is operating for the first time—the deepest we've ever operated within Iran," Defrin noted.
Yes, but: IDF officials said in a briefing with reporters that Iran has air defense systems in other parts of the country that it can move to Tehran.
State of play: More than 100 Iranians have been killed and more than 400 were wounded in the Israeli strikes so far, according to Iranian state media.
Iran has launched on Friday night and on Saturday morning four barrages of ballistic missile towards targets around Israel. The IDF said around 200 missiles were launched with most of them intercepted.
At least 10 missiles hit military bases and residential areas in Tel Aviv and the surrounding cities. At least four Israelis have been killed and around 100 wounded in the Iranian counterattack.
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