Satellite photos reveal the consequences of the Israeli attack on the Revolutionary Guard missile base in Iran

Israeli attack continues iran damaged a base possibly operated by Revolutionary Guard Paramilitary force that manufactures ballistic missiles and launches rockets as part of its own space program, satellite images analyzed The Associated Press.

damage to Shahrud Base raise new questions about Israeli attack early Saturday morningEspecially when it happened in an area not previously recognized by Tehran and involved the Guard, a powerful force within the Iranian theocracy that has so far remained silent about the potential damage the attack would cause. Iran has identified Israeli attacks only in the provinces of Ilam, Khuzestan And tehranNot in the rural province of SemnanWhere the base is located.

you can do it too Would further limit the Guard’s ability to build solid-fuel ballistic missiles Which needs to be stored as a deterrent against Israel. Tehran has long been dependent on that arsenal, unable to purchase the advanced Western weapons that Israel and Tehran’s Gulf Arab neighbors have armed themselves with for years, particularly from the United States.

Satellite images were first analyzed AP Of Two military bases near Tehran were also attacked by Israel, suggesting that sites Iran uses in its ballistic missile manufacturing have been destroyed.Making its program even more stringent.

“We don’t know whether Iranian production has stalled, as some say, or merely been damaged“, Said Fabian HingeA missile expert and researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies who studies Iran. “We have seen enough images to show that there has been an impact.”

Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israeli army refused to answer questions APBut he had sent a previous statement in which he had admitted to the targeting. “Missile Manufacturing Facilities” In attack.

High resolution satellite images of Planet Labs PBC taken and analyzed for AP Showed the damage caused to the Guard’s Shahrud Space Center in SemnanAbout 370 kilometers northeast of Iran’s capital Tehran. Semnan is also home to the Imam Khomeini Space Center, which is used by Iran’s civilian space program.

the images showed Destruction of one of the main buildings of Shahrud Space CenterAnd the shadow of its structure, still standing, can be seen in an image taken Tuesday morning. they could be seen There was a gathering of vehicles everywhereThere were more cars than usual parked at the main entrance of the venue nearby, presumably from officials inspecting the damage.

Three smaller buildings located immediately south of the main structure also appeared to be damaged. Iran has been constructing new buildings at the base in recent months. Another hangar to the north-east of the main building also appears to have been damaged.

Iran has not admitted any attack on Shahroud. However, given the damage caused to many structures, it turns out The Israeli attack included specific strikes against the baseLow-resolution images taken since the attack show signs of damage at the site that were not seen before the attack, further blaming Israeli missile attacks.

“We cannot 100% rule out the possibility that it was something else, but it is almost certain that the building was damaged by the Israeli attack,” Hinz said.

assume that The large building was surrounded by heaps of earthThis shows that in high explosives handledsaid Hinz, who has been studying this place for a long time. That central location probably handles solid propellant melting and blending operations, he said.

According to Hinge, there will likely also be big boxes next to the building missile engine caseTheir size suggests that they could be used for Iranian ballistic missiles. Khyber Shaken youel fatah 1The missile claimed by Iran is capable of reaching a speed of 15 Mach i.e. 15 times the speed of sound. Both have been used in Iran’s attacks on Israel during the Israel–Hamas war and the subsequent ground invasion of Lebanon.

Shahroud is likely to be attacked along with others across the country The pressure on Iranian theocracy has increasedEspecially when it assesses the damage done to its main arsenal of weapons and tries to mitigate the attack.

“Due to the preparedness and vigilance of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the timely response of the country’s air defense, There was limited damage at a few affected points.“The Iranian Foreign Minister said, Abbas AraghchiIn a meeting with foreign diplomats held in Tehran on Tuesday. “Necessary measures were immediately taken to restore the operating condition of the damaged equipment”,

a short walk from the destroyed buildings concrete launch pad Used by the Guard, which has carried out several successful missions of sending satellites into space using mobile launchers. The Guard, which answers only to the supreme leader, the Ayatollah Ali KhameneiThe 85-year-old revealed his secret space program in 2020.

The US intelligence community’s 2024 global threat assessment states that Iran is continuing to develop satellite launch vehicles. “The production time of an intercontinental ballistic missile will be reduced”, Since it uses similar technology.

ICBMs can be used to deliver nuclear weapons.After the failure of the nuclear deal with world powers, Iran is producing uranium for weaponsTehran has enough enriched uranium for manufacturing.various nuclear weaponsIf it decides to do so, as the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly warned.

Iran has always denied seeking nuclear weapons claims that its space program, like its nuclear activities, is entirely for civilian purposes. However, US intelligence agencies and the IAEA say that Iran had an organized military nuclear program by 2003. Parchin, one of two military bases near Tehran, was attacked by Israel, destroying a building associated with that program.

“As in the case of the Iranian nuclear program, not only the system was created, but the entire technology was created under the protection of a civilian program,” Hinz said.

Iran could then decide to pursue weapons or use its knowledge Bargaining chip with the West on international sanctions.

But for now, satellite images show that Iran is still trying to assess the consequences of the Israeli attack.

“The picture that is emerging is of significant damage to Iranian air defenses.”“As well as missile launch facilities, both were intended to show the Iranians that they were vulnerable to further attacks if they attempted to retaliate,” an analysis published Monday by two experts said. Royal United Services Institute Of Great Britain.