Israeli missile was warning to Tehran, it evaded Iran’s radar systems: Report

Israeli missiles apparently hit a site in Iran, US-based media reported late on Thursday (Apr 18), now details have emerged which revealed the type of missile used by Israel, the exact target, and also the possible intention.

Explosions were heard close to a major Iranian military airbase near Isfahan after the alleged strike by Israel, which was basically a signal to tell the world that it could target sites deep inside Iran, after bypassing defence systems.

Previous reports have noted that Isfahan, which is an Iranian military airbase, houses squadrons of f-14 Tomcat fighter aircraft. It also has significant sites including military research and development facilities and bases. A nearby city, Natanz, is home to one of the country's nuclear enrichment sites.

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A high-tech missile, which was able to evade Iran's radar systems, was used by Israel, The New York Times reported. It was believed to be a well-planned move by Israel "calibrated to make Iran think twice" before launching a direct attack on Israel in future.

The strike reportedly damaged a defence system which was responsible for detecting and destroying aerial threats near Natanz, the report stated citing two Western officials and two Iranian officials.

The Israeli weapon had struck an Russian-made S-300 anti-aircraft system at a military base in the nearby province of Isfahan, said two Iranian officials, who also showed satellite imagery which was analysed by the media outlet. The satellite images showed damage to the radar of an S-300 system at the Eighth Shekari Air Base in Isfahan in central Iran.

Umbra synthetic aperture radar imagery acquired 0648Z 19APR2024 showed evidence of damage to the Iranian S-300PMU2 strategic surface-to-air missile battery in Isfahan since 15APR2024. A probable damaged 30N6E target engagement radar was visible in imagery still on the radar… pic.twitter.com/eqMFTanPOH — Chris Biggers (@CSBiggers) April 19, 2024

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How did Iran react?

Israel hasn't claimed responsibility, and Tehran also played down the incident and indicated it had no plans for retaliation. Iran's foreign minister said the drones were "mini-drones" and that they had caused no damage or casualties.

Media also aired conflicting reports with most of them and some officials describing the incident as a small number of explosions, which they said resulted from air defences hitting three drones over Isfahan. They referred to the incident as an attack by "infiltrators", rather than by Israel.

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)