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Axios
a day ago
- Politics
- Axios
How Israeli spies and pilots crippled an Iranian counterstrike
The U.S. and Israel were bracing for swift, fierce retaliation from Iran overnight. Thanks to intricately planned maneuvers by Israeli spies and pilots — and shock and disarray on the Iranian side — there was silence. Zoom in: As it became clear Israel was about to attack, the commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' air force convened in a bunker to coordinate the response. But Israel knew that emergency protocol, and the location of the bunker. They destroyed it, killing the overall commander and the heads of the drone and air defense forces. "The fact that there was nobody to give the order neutralized an immediate Iranian response," an Israeli official said. They were among the more than two dozen Iranian commanders targeted in a sprawling attack on Iran's military command-and-control. The heads of the IRGC, the Iranian military and Iran's emergency military headquarters were all eliminated in the opening salvo. Another key target was Iran's air defense systems and radars. Israeli intelligence mapped their locations, and most were hit by the Israeli Air Force in the opening strike. That gave the IDF virtually unchallenged freedom of operation in Iran's skies. Meanwhile on the ground, Israel's Mossad spy agency was conducting a series of covert sabotage operations deep inside Iran to take out air defenses and ballistic missile launchers. Hundreds of Mossad agents both inside Iran and back in headquarters were involved, including a special unit of Iranian operatives working for Mossad. In central Iran, Mossad commando units had positioned guided weapons systems in open areas near Iranian surface-to-air missile launchers. In another area inside Iran, Mossad covertly deployed weapon systems and sophisticated technologies hidden in vehicles. When the Israeli attack began, these weapons were launched and destroyed Iranian air defense targets. Mossad also established an attack drone base inside Iran with drones that were smuggled in long before the operation, the Israeli intelligence official said. During the Israeli strike, the drones were activated and launched toward surface-to-surface missile launchers located at the Esfajabad base near Tehran, destroying ballistic missiles there before they could be launched towards Israel. The stakes: The IDF was prepared for a worst-case scenario in which Iran would swiftly launch 300-500 ballistic missiles toward Israel, the Israeli intelligence official said. Instead, Iran responded hours later with around 100 drones which were easily defeated. State of play: The IDF continued pounding Iranian ballistic missile targets around the country on Friday to prevent a more significant Iranian retaliation. "Dozens of launchers, surface-to-surface missile storage sites, and additional military facilities were destroyed. At one of the targeted sites in western Iran, a unique launch mechanism was discovered that had been concealed inside shipping containers," the IDF said in a statement. What to watch: Iran's top leaders stressed on Friday that Iran will take revenge and Israel will pay a heavy price. As of Friday afternoon local time, the response was still limited. Israeli officials say that while they managed to scuttle an immediate counterstrike, they believe the Iranians will launch a significant attack in the coming hours. "We think they want to prepare a significant missile barrage that would be big and coordinated in order to try and overwhelm our missile defense systems," an Israeli official said.
Shafaq News
a day ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
IRGC air force chief among dozens killed in Israeli strikes on Iran
Shafaq News/ Israel's military confirmed Friday the killing of Major General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) Aerospace Force, in a high-impact strike carried out deep inside Iranian territory. Israeli and Iranian media also reported the deaths of at least 20 senior Iranian military commanders in the attacks. Among them was Brigadier General Mehdi Rabbani, deputy for operations at Iran's Armed Forces General Staff, who was reportedly killed along with his wife and children. Iranian outlets confirmed the death of Brigadier General Davoud Shekhiyan, commander of the IRGC's Aerospace Air Defense division, in a strike that hit a strategic site near Tehran. The fatalities add to an already substantial list of Iranian leaders killed in Israel's Operation Rising Lion, including Major General Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the IRGC; Major General Mohammad Bagheri, chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces; and Major General Gholam Ali Rashid, commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters. Also confirmed dead are Fereydoon Abbasi, the former head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran; Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, president of Azad University; and Ahmad Reza Zoulfaghari, a prominent nuclear engineering professor. Separately, reports from Iranian and Israeli media indicated that a new Israeli strike took place near Tabriz Airport in northwestern Iran, suggesting that Israel's aerial campaign is continuing beyond the initial wave of attacks. Since the start of the strikes, Iran has shut down its airspace, elevated its military alert level, and launched more than 800 drones toward Israeli territory in what appears to be the Islamic Republic's first direct military retaliation.
Middle East Eye
a day ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Top IRGC air force leader among at least 20 commanders reportedly killed
At least 20 senior Iranian commanders including the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) air force, Aerospace Force Commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh, were killed in Israel's strikes on Iran on Friday, two regional sources have told Reuters. Hajzadeh joins a growing list of senior military officials killed in the early Friday attacks, including Major General Hossein Salami, IRGC commander-in-chief, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of Iran's armed forces general staff, and Gholam Ali Rashid, commander of the most important strategic military command body in Iran. Two key nuclear scientists Fereydoun Abbasi and Mohammad-Mehdi Tehranci were also killed, reportedly along with several other scientists.
The National
25-03-2025
- Politics
- The National
Iranian commander visits Iraq to preserve truce with US before potential landmark talks
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani visited Iraq last week to help maintain the unofficial truce between militant groups and the US after Gaza's ceasefire fell apart, sources told The National on Tuesday. The visit came as Tehran and Washington lay the groundwork for potential landmark negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme, its regional role and its support for non-state armed groups heavily weakened following the war with Israel. It also came amid a US military campaign against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have resumed attacks in the Red Sea in support of their ally Hamas in Gaza, and who, in recent months, have emerged as Iran's most effective proxy force. 'Esmail Qaani visited Baghdad on the 19th of this month. The message he carried was to confirm understanding of Iraq's position regarding the truce between Iraqi factions and the US troops in Iraq,' said an Iraqi source close to the main umbrella of militant groups. 'He expressed support for it and wanted to ensure it's still in place,' added the source. An unannounced truce that involved Tehran and the Iraqi government in February last year halted the militias' attacks against US troops in the Middle East. However, as the war in Gaza continued, attacks resumed for a short time, before the truce was restored. Mr Qaani's visit to Iraq comes in the wake of the recent collapse of the Gaza ceasefire, with Israel resuming its offensive and killing hundreds of Palestinians, raising the risk of renewed conflict on several fronts. However, the dynamics in the Middle East have shifted since the last time a Gaza ceasefire broke down. Hezbollah, Iran's main proxy in Lebanon, has been significantly weakened and is likely unable to open a new front against Israel. Meanwhile, the Assad regime in Syria, long under Iranian influence, has collapsed. In Iraq, Iran-backed militant groups remain bound by the unofficial truce brokered by Tehran and the Baghdad government. Amid this backdrop, US President Donald Trump appears to be seeking to capitalise on what seems to be Iran's weakened position and reopen the door to a potential comprehensive agreement that would address not only Iran's nuclear activities but also its regional influence and support for armed groups. While Iran has said it will not negotiate directly, it has acknowledged that Mr Trump's approach presents opportunities and is reportedly considering it. 'There is something resembling a new phase after Trump's recently announced message to the Iranians,' said another Iraqi source with knowledge of Iran's thinking. 'The Americans are trying to test Iran's good intentions, and Tehran is sending positive signals, as Foreign Minister Araghchi has indicated, about its willingness to negotiate, even if only indirectly, with Trump.' One of Iran's key remaining pressure points is Yemen, where the Houthi rebels, also known as Ansar Allah, have resumed attacks on ships in the Red Sea, drawing a renewed US bombing campaign in response. 'Trump believes that striking Ansar Allah will complement the dismantling of Iranian-backed forces, making it easier for him to impose terms in future negotiations,' said a security source in Sanaa. Since his appointment in 2020, Mr Qaani has faced the challenge of co-ordinating and sustaining the network of Tehran-backed militant groups across the region, particularly during heightened tension with Israel. As the overseas arm of the IRGC, the Quds Force leads Iran's foreign military operations and oversees a web of proxies known collectively as the 'Axis of Resistance'. That network has come under unprecedented strain since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, with its strength and unity being tested like never before. Speculation about Mr Qaani's status intensified after reports that he may have been injured in an Israeli air strike on southern Beirut, an area known to house Hezbollah offices and senior leadership. He later appeared publicly at a funeral in Tehran. In recent days, Yemeni sources reported that former Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi visited Sanaa carrying messages from both Mr Qaani and US officials to the Houthis. The communications reportedly included 'new proposals' aimed at 'reducing tension in the region'. According to the leader of one Iraqi militant group backed by Iran, the US is 'trying to test Iran's good intentions through the Yemeni issue, but the Iranian leadership has repeatedly emphasised that it does not dictate actions to Ansar Allah'.
Arab News
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
‘Planes, planes, planes'
It was a pleasant night in Beirut. The seaside cafes were full late into the night. The city has a habit of concealing its wounds and disappointments, to challenge death and the rubble and to convince the visitor that bright days are ahead despite the challenges. We used to count the losses and gains and tried to fend off despair. However, the constant buzzing overhead hampered our attempts to forget the pain. A wandering killer roams the skies. It never tires and it never sleeps. It counts breaths and captures photos. It searches for its prey, corners it and then makes the call to kill it. The wandering killer flies over the killing fields in Gaza and the West Bank. It violates Lebanon and does not forget to reap woes in Syria. It targets a camp in the West Bank and a car in southern Lebanon. Neither Gaza, Beirut nor Damascus can stand against it. When the opportunity for a mass killing presents itself, the drone turns into the advanced fighter jet. Funerals ensue. Artificial intelligence is a formidable thing. It strengthens the ability of planes to kill and leave maps awash with blood. The planes are like militias: they don't respect international law or borders. I paused at two articles in Asharq Al-Awsat. The first said that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force commander conveyed a clear message from the Iranian leadership to the Iraqi factions demanding that they 'avoid all forms of provocations against the Americans and Israelis' to avoid the consequences. The second article reported Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein as saying: 'Iraq is not part of the 'axis of resistance' and does not agree to the unity of arenas. We believe in the Iraqi arena alone.' I also noted the Palestinian Health Ministry's announcement that 50,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the launch of the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation. A retired general said he feared that the Israeli jets may have broken the 'balance' in the region more so and more dangerously than during the 1967 war. He noted that Benjamin Netanyahu's planes have completely eliminated what remained of the arsenal of Bashar Assad's army. It destroyed all weapons and facilities as if to make sure that no power hostile to it could emerge in the years to come. The current Syrian authorities had no choice but to watch as the jets struck airports, facilities and barracks. The current Syrian authorities had no choice but to watch as Israeli jets struck airports, facilities and barracks. Ghassan Charbel Perhaps the jets wanted to deliver a message that there can be no stability under President Ahmad Al-Sharaa's rule in Syria if he does not completely abandon the idea of ever waging a confrontation with Israel. He must agree to the removal of Syria from the Arab-Israeli conflict, even as the Golan Heights continue to be occupied by Israel. Israel went beyond that by demanding the establishment of a 'safe zone' for itself deep into Syrian territory, even threatening to play the minority card in its favor. The same planes changed the scene in Syria. No one had imagined back then that, when the Israeli jets were striking the positions or hideouts of the IRGC generals in Syria, that the IRGC would rush to flee Syria years later. No one imagined that the jets would cause Assad to flee and Al-Sharaa to appear from the palace where Hafez Assad and his son used to sit. The planes carried out a complete coup in Syria. The so-called axis of resistance lost the Syrian link in the chain that took Qassem Soleimani's dreams all the way to the Mediterranean. The jets excessively punished Hezbollah in Lebanon after the party launched its 'support front' in solidarity with Gaza following Yahya Sinwar's Al-Aqsa Flood Operation. Hezbollah lost thousands of fighters and the most charismatic leader in its history, Hassan Nasrallah. It was an obvious coup. Gone is the 'army, people and resistance' equation from Nawaf Salam's government statement and President Joseph Aoun was clear during his inauguration speech when he spoke about the state's monopoly over weapons. Despite the ceasefire in Lebanon, Israel is continuing its killings. Its aerial hegemony is not being threatened. Hezbollah clearly cannot return to the war, given the new balance of power in the region. The planes changed calculations and plans. Some of the Iraqi factions were tempted to pester Israel from afar, the same way the Houthis are doing. So, Israel threatened to turn its planes on Baghdad. Tehran cannot prevent the Israeli jets from targeting its allies in Iraq. Iran itself can no longer carry on trading blows with Israel, while its nuclear facilities file is open at the American-Israeli table. Donald Trump's Middle East envoy declared this week that Iran cannot be allowed to acquire a nuclear bomb. 'It cannot happen and it will not happen,' he said. Israeli planes are violating several maps. They kill, destroy and impose conditions. One has to turn to the American mediator for protection. A heavy price will be demanded, starting with quitting the axis of resistance. It is a harsh but clear reality. There can be no stability in Syria unless it leaves the conflict. There can be no reconstruction in Lebanon if Hezbollah does not abandon its weapons. The strikes on Yemen will stop when the Houthis stop attacking Red Sea shipping and Israel. There can be no leniency with Iran unless it abandons its dream of a nuclear bomb and the policy of proxies. Israel is hostile. But did we have the right to plunge our maps into bloody confrontations, all the while neglecting the massive technological gap with Israel and America's unwavering support for it? The planes reminded me of timeless Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, who used to watch Israeli planes from his balcony as they pounded Beirut, which was then besieged by Ariel Sharon's forces. I recalled his poem, 'This is her Image and This is the Lover's Suicide,' in which he repeatedly says, 'planes, planes, planes' — a term that could not be a more fitting title for this article.
