How Israel surprised Iran: devastating raids on the eve of nuclear negotiations

Strategic sites and top officials targeted. Iranian intelligence underestimated the attack. Tehran unprepared, Ayatollah promises revenge

The Islamic Republic did not expect the attack. On the eve of a new round of nuclear talks with the United States, scheduled for today in Muscat and then cancelled, Iran was hit with surgical precision by a complex Israeli offensive. This was reported by the New York Times, according to which Tehran considered Tel Aviv’s threats to be merely a diplomatic pressure tactic, so much so that it did not activate any defensive countermeasures.

On the night of the attack, the aerospace commanders remained in their homes. General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, one of the top leaders of the Pasdaran, was killed along with his staff during a meeting in Tehran. Ignoring security measures, the entire military leadership found itself exposed to enemy fire.

Israel combined large-scale air strikes with covert operations carried out by infiltrators who had been present in Iranian territory for some time. Parts of drones and missiles were reportedly smuggled in, allowing sensitive targets to be hit from within. In the absence of an active air defence, the offensive overwhelmed at least 15 locations, from Isfahan to Shiraz, to the capital Tehran.

Missile depots and radar installations were destroyed, and the Natanz nuclear site was severely damaged. In Tehran, the explosions also hit civilian buildings, fuelling panic among the population. According to internal sources, Iran was planning to launch a thousand missiles on Israel, but the raids neutralised most of its offensive capabilities. Nevertheless, about a hundred missiles were launched towards Israel, hitting areas near Tel Aviv.

‘They started it. It won’t end here,’ said Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, appearing on television from a secret location. Meanwhile, in the neighbourhoods of the Iranian capital, fleeing citizens stormed supermarkets and petrol stations. Israel has announced that military operations will continue. The war has begun, and the outcome remains uncertain.

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(Photo: © AndKronos)