“At this time, we can say that we have achieved full aerial superiority over Tehran’s skies,” IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin announced at a press briefing on Monday.
“We are targeting Iranian cells in real time as they launch missiles toward the State of Israel and our aircraft. The aerial capabilities we previously saw in Gaza, Lebanon, and Judea and Samaria are now operational in Iran,” he said.
Defrin spoke on the fourth day of “Operation Rising Lion.” Israel launched its offensive, having determined that Iran had accelerated its nuclear weapons program. It also had developed a plan to attack Israel with a massive missile bombardment.
The twin goals of Israel’s campaign are the destruction of Iran’s nuclear project and of its ballistic-missile capability.
Defrin provided details on the operations of Israel’s Air Force overnight Sunday, revealing it had struck more than 20 command centers of the Iranian military and the Quds Force, a branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
He described the Quds Force as the “central terror arm of the Iranian regime” and the “main conduit” for many of the terrorist attacks against Israel in recent decades. The command centers where those attacks had been planned have now been eliminated, he said.
Israel’s strikes began with precision hits on aerial defense systems protecting the Iranian military and Quds Force strongholds. After the air defenses were dismantled, the command centers, which included those of the Iranian nuclear project, were targeted by dozens of aircraft simultaneously.
The headquarters were placed in civilian buildings and high-rise apartments intentionally, as “the regime’s leaders believed that doing so would hide them and keep them immune,” Defrin stated. “They were mistaken. The Intelligence Directorate located them, and the Israeli Air Force struck them with precision and accuracy.”
Defrin also reported that Israel had killed the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Intelligence Organization, Brig. Gen. Mohammad Kazemi, and his deputy, Brig. Gen. Hassan Mohaqiq. Also killed was the head of the Quds Force Intelligence Organization, Mohsen Bakri, and his deputy, Abu al-Fadl Nikouei.
Tehran was not the only location struck by the IAF. Widescale strikes were carried out across central Iran.
Defrin also reported on the damage sustained by retaliatory Iranian strikes on Israeli population centers. Two barrages totaling 65 missiles and dozens of drones were launched at Israel. Most of them were intercepted.
However, four areas in northern and central Israel reported impacts, killing eight civilians and injuring dozens.
“This is the face of the Iranian terror regime: While we target military and nuclear capabilities intended to destroy the State of Israel, they fire at population centers with the aim of harming civilians,” Defrin said.
He praised the resilience of the Israeli public and requested that it continue to act responsibly and follow the directives of the Home Front Command.
