The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that Israel was behind an overnight drone inside Iran that targeted a military facility in the city of Isfahan.
Iranian authorities said three small quadcopter drones targeted a munitions factory in Isfahan and that its air defenses shot down one drone. The other two exploded above the building, causing minor damage but no casualties.
The Journal report cited unnamed US officials and people familiar with the operation, who said the attack came as the US and Israel “look for new ways to contain Tehran’s nuclear and military ambitions.”
The report said the attack took place next to a facility owned by the Iran Space Research Center, which has been sanctioned by the US for allegedly being involved in Iran’s ballistic missile program. Iran has yet to attribute blame for the incident, but Israel has a history of launching similar covert attacks using small quadcopter drones inside the Islamic Republic.
In May 2022, an Israeli drone attack targeted an Iranian military facility outside of Tehran, killing one engineer. About one year earlier, in June 2021, an Iranian nuclear facility was hit in an Israeli drone attack, resulting in damage to cameras belonging to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The report said the incident marks the first attack inside Iran under the new Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu, although he has overseen plenty of covert operations inside Iran under previous governments he led. The attack came as the US and Israel are stepping up joint military coordination and just concluded their largest-ever joint exercise, which was seen as a major provocation toward Iran.
The US and Israel have been discussing ways to counter Iran’s growing military relationship with Russia. CIA Director William Burns made an unannounced visit to Israel last week to discuss Iran, among other issues. The US wants to disrupt Iranian military supplies to Russia, although Tehran insists it hasn’t provided drones to Moscow since the invasion of Ukraine.
At this point, it’s not clear if the drone attack was related to the war in Ukraine, but Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, made a point to comment on the incident. “Explosive night in Iran,” he wrote on Twitter. “[Ukraine] did try to warn you.” Podolyak previously called for the “liquidation” of Iranian facilities that produce weapons.
Israel has rebuffed requests to send weapons to Ukraine and wants to avoid raising tensions with Moscow. Israel frequently launches airstrikes in Syria and has an understanding with Russia over the operations, although Moscow occasionally calls for Israeli attacks on the country to end.
This will continue until a trade can be made to stop such attacks done in Israel and inside the US. Iran can’t have peace until it attacks.
Of course, the attack is the excuse Israel wants. We need to see clearly that Israel is starting the war they want, edging into it, seeking to blame Iran for what Israel is doing.
As we’ve seen in the past, Iran has always held back on direct attacks. They know that Israel wants an excuse to launch a catastrophic war that will involve both the USA and Russia. Seems like the so-called Samson Option is not a last resort but Zionism’s ultimate goal.
The deep states goal as well.
The more important question Iran should ask, where did these drones come from? Azerbaijan, Iraq, UAE or Saudi Arabia. Future incursion can be deterred once pinpointed.
Yes, let Israel just bomb whoever — any country, any time! Rules based order! What exactly is that?
Righteous self defense against HAMAN.Perhaps the Iranian drones killing people in the Ukraine revolted and turned on their progenitors.
Self-righteous attack, more likely …
Well, one thing you can say about the Israeli-US partnership: two violent peas in a pod. Our closest friend is as addicted to violence as we are.
The Isrealites are almost as good as the US at starting wars.
Well, at least starting US wars. They only shoot fish in a barrel. When it comes to real wars, they let their donor do the heavy lifting.
Maybe if you had paid more attention to history and current events,you would not make such incorrect statements.War of independence-fought off 5 invading countries,without having a standing army,tanks,or an air force. Arabs had Britain providing air recon for Egypt, training Egyptian and Jordanian armies, and turned over key positions to Arabs.US embargo against Israel. UN had to save Arabs.1967-fought off and kicked butt against 3 armies,much larger populations,and massive Soviet investment. Same in 1973-USSR had to save Egypt and Syria.Now-using high technology to fend off Iran-population of 80 million-lead by murderous fanatics. Stick to the facts.
U.S.S. Liberty. 34 AMERICANS MURDERED. 171 AMERICANS wounded. Why? (of course you know why)
Yes-US sailors were sent to a war zone to spy for Arab oil interests.The truth will set you free.
I was paying attention to history. Recent history. You know, after Israel had our congress in their back pocket. And in 1973 Nixon saved Israel’s a$$.
In 73-Egypt and Syria,with vastly larger populations,vast soviet weaponry, and advisors,launched a sneak attack,were stopped.and beaten back. Both Cairo and Damascus could have been seized,save for Soviet nuclear blackmail. Who were the bullies then? The Arabist State Department,US oil companies controlled the congress for decades .Fullbright became a registered lobbyist for the Arabs. If the Christian evangelicals wield power now,get used to it.
I was talking about Nixon’s airlift.
Egypt also got an airlift from the USSR. The USSR threatened the use of nuclear weapons-Nixon retaliated by putting nuclear forces on alert-maintaining the balance of power.
Maybe this was a false flag. Nobody seems to notice but quad copter drones are very short range so this “attack” would have to have been launched from inside Iran. And I doubt Iranian air defenses engaged any quad copters. Plus the damage was minimal, which doesn’t sound like the Israelis. But if the MSM are just going to be stenographers I guess you take what you can get.
No false fag…! Yes, it launched from Inside Iran probably from a few kilometers away and the strike was weak, but that doesn’t mean Israelis were not involved…! They are just testing the waters…!
The drones were most likely shipped to Iran in parts and assembled by Israeli hired anti-Iranian thugs…!
It will be interesting to find out what happened, if we ever do.
One possibility is that it wasn’t an attack of any kind — just some kind of regular industrial accident. The Iranians love to blame Israel for stuff, and the Israelis love to get credit/blame for stuff without confirming or denying it.
The real “state sponsor of terrorism” strikes again.
Well, I’m confused. The headline claims
but the article says
So the headline is falsely claiming certainty. was it probably Israel? yeah. But just say “probably Israel”. No need to lie and claim more certainty than you have. It makes anti-war.com look bad to publish things like this.
Both the headline and the story truthfully claim that a report says Israel was behind the attack.
That’s like when Police act poorly,they they they got “a tip”