Newly released satellite images show extensive damage at two secretive Iranian military bases from the Israeli attack yesterday morning, The Associated Pressreported.
One of the locations hit — Iran’s Parchin military base (left picture below) — is where the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) suspects Iran has conducted tests of high explosives that could be used to trigger a nuclear weapon. The picture on the right shows damage to the Khojir military base, which is believed to hide an underground military tunnel system and missile production sites.
Israel also destroyed a number of Iran’s Russian-made air defense batteries, leaving the country even more exposed to further air attacks. "The message is that we don’t want an escalation, but if Iran decides to escalate and attack Israel again, this means that we have increased our range of freedom of movement in the Iranian skies," an Israeli official said.
"We promised we would respond to the Iranian attack, and on Saturday we struck," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today at a ceremony marking the Hebrew calendar anniversary of October 7. "The attack in Iran was precise and powerful, achieving all of its objectives."
The latest reports indicate that around 100 planes were involved in the operation, flown by hundreds of pilots and crew, all of whom returned safely from the highly sophisticated operation over hostile territory.
The Jerusalem Postpublished quotes from Israeli Air Force pilots who led the operation, using abbreviations of their names to protect their identities.
"It was an honor to fly through the dark desert, knowing every moment in the air was a step toward a new dawn for Israel," Lt. Col. Y., commander of the 119 Squadron, said of the mission.
"The Bat Squadron has operated continuously across all combat fronts this past year, day and night, through fog and haze," Lt. Col. Y. added. "This mission was no different, but the stakes felt higher. Every second in that cockpit felt like a lifetime."
Maj. S. is a lone soldier from Chicago and said the mission was a realization of his Zionist values. "This is why I came here – to defend the country that has become my home. Flying through the darkness, carrying out this mission for Israel, is something I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life."
Lt. Col. Y. made clear: "We will continue as long as necessary until peace and security are restored for our citizens, the evacuees return to their homes, and the hostages are reunited with their families."
Tell Congress: Stand with Israel As it Responds to Iran
Urge your elected officials to publicly and unequivocally support Israel’s right to defend itself, ensure Israel has the weapons needed to keep its people safe, and call to increase the pressure on Iran.
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Israeli progress against Hezbollah in Lebanon
Israel is continuing its operations against Hezbollah and its terrorist infrastructure in Lebanon, as the Iranian proxy launched hundreds of rockets and drones into Israel this weekend.
The IDF released a video of a Hezbollah weapons bunker located by troops in southern Lebanon. The underground facility, hidden in a forested area, was used to store anti-tank missiles, machine guns, assault rifles and mortars.
Also this weekend, Israeli troops seized four truck-mounted rocket launchers that were loaded with around 160 rockets. Around 130 additional Hezbollah launchers have been taken out in airstrikes over the past week.
And Israel is continuing to take out key Hezbollah leaders as well.
On Friday, the IDF eliminated Ahmed Jafar Maatouk, the commander of Hezbollah's Bint Jbeil area. And a day later, directed by precise intelligence, the IAF struck and eliminated his successor, along with the commander of Hezbollah's artillery forces in the area.
Hamas rejects another Israeli hostage-ceasefire deal
The Wall Street Journalreported on the latest Israeli offer to end the war in Gaza and return the remaining 101 hostages.
Israel’s Mossad chief David Barnea offered Hamas terrorists safe passage to another country if they laid down their weapons and returned the hostages. The offer was made through Egyptian mediators this past week.
But Hamas rejected the offer. The Iranian-backed terror group’s top negotiator "said the offer showed how Israel was still misreading the group and warned it could continue fighting for months, if not years," according to mediators cited in the report.
Video of the Day: Senator Fetterman reaffirms support for Israel
Senator John Fetterman again reaffirmed his strong support for Israel and its work to destroy Hamas and Hezbollah. Pressed by an interviewer over his praise for Israel’s "pager operation" that wounded and killed thousands of Hezbollah operatives, Fetterman painted a clear picture to the host.
"There was a young child who was killed who was taking the pager to their parent," said the questioner.
Fetterman responded, "Daddy was a member of Hezbollah. That's tragic. He brought that danger and evil into their home. That's what tragically resulted in that poor child's death. That's what's so terrible. She paid the price because her father was a terrorist for Hezbollah."
Watch a 2-minute clip of the broader interview here:
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