British Admiral: Israel 'Almost Destroyed the Entire Air Defense' of the Iranian Government

The Chief of Defense Staff of Britain stated that Israel, in its retaliatory strike on November 5 against the positions of the Islamic Republic, 'almost destroyed the entire air defense system' of the Iranian government and eliminated its ability 'to produce ballistic missiles for a year.' According to Business Insider, Admiral Sir Anthony David Radakin said on Wednesday, December 14, that Israel demonstrated the 'power' of its F-35 stealth fighter in this attack. Radakin added, 'Israel used over 100 aircraft' and, in the first wave of its airstrike, 'almost destroyed the entire air defense system of Iran' without entering the 100-mile radius of the target. According to the Chief of Defense Staff of Britain, Israel has 'eliminated the Iranian government's ability to produce ballistic missiles for a year and has confronted Tehran with a strategic confusion in how to respond.' Admiral Radakin considered Israel's retaliatory strike as indicative of 'the power of [fifth-generation] aircraft combined with excellent targeting and extraordinary intelligence.' Previously, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, had stated that the retaliatory strike on the morning of November 5 against the positions of the Islamic Republic not only targeted part of the Iranian government's defensive and missile capabilities but also struck part of its nuclear program. On November 28, in remarks to the Israeli parliament (Knesset), Netanyahu added that this matter is not hidden from anyone and that 'a special part of the nuclear program' of the Iranian government was targeted in this attack. However, the Israeli Prime Minister emphasized that the path for the Islamic Republic to acquire nuclear weapons has not yet been blocked. Netanyahu stated that after the return of Donald Trump, the elected President of the United States, to the White House, Israel's ability to act against the nuclear program of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be reviewed. He added that Israel's decision to refrain from attacking 'special targets' within Iranian territory in response to missile attacks from the Islamic Republic was not due to a deadline from the United States. Axios reported on Friday, November 25, citing two Israeli officials, that the November 5 attack by Israel on Parchin has severely complicated the development of nuclear explosion devices by the Islamic Republic. According to this report, the Israeli attack on the 'Talghan 2' site destroyed the complex device necessary for designing and testing plastic explosive materials surrounding uranium in a nuclear device. Satellite images of the Parchin military site after the Israeli attack on November 6, 1403. Axios, citing American and Israeli officials, reported that the Islamic Republic has resumed sensitive nuclear research in the past year but has not yet taken a step towards producing nuclear weapons. Israeli officials told Axios that if the Islamic Republic intends to produce nuclear weapons, it must replace the destroyed device, and in that case, Israel would be able to identify this effort. One of these officials stated that this device is the 'bottleneck' for producing a nuclear bomb, and without it, the Islamic Republic would face difficulties. Axios had previously reported that during the November 5 attack, an ultra-secret nuclear weapons research site of the Islamic Republic in Parchin was destroyed. According to American and Israeli officials, the attack on this site significantly harmed the Iranian government's efforts to resume research on nuclear weapons. A former Israeli official familiar with the attack told Axios that this attack destroyed complex equipment used for designing plastic explosive materials surrounding uranium in a nuclear device, which is necessary for detonating it. The Islamic Republic has always claimed to have a peaceful nuclear program, and the Iranian government's representative at the United Nations refrained from commenting on Axios's report. Talghan 2, located in the Parchin military complex 20 kilometers southeast of Tehran, was one of the targets of the Israeli attacks on the morning of November 5. Talghan 2 was part of the Iranian nuclear weapons program known as 'Amad' until the program was halted in 2003 (1382). The Institute for Science and International Security has stated that it was used to test explosive materials needed to activate a nuclear device. Satellite images released from Talghan 2 following the November 5 attack indicate its complete destruction. Axios, citing American and Israeli officials, reported that recent activities at Talghan 2 are part of the Iranian government's efforts to conduct research that could be used for developing nuclear weapons or for civilian purposes. An American official stated that recent activities at Talghan 2 may have been a precursor to nuclear weapons production. He described these activities as ultra-secret and added that only a small portion of Iranian officials were aware of them, while most officials in the government had no knowledge of them. Israeli and U.S. intelligence agencies became aware of the Iranian government's research activities in Parchin earlier this year (January 1402). Among these activities were computer modeling, metallurgy, and explosive material research that could be used for nuclear weapons. Axios had previously reported that the White House, in June of this year (June 12 to July 10), had directly warned Iranian officials about their suspicious research activities in a private conversation. Axios reported that the Americans hoped their warning would lead Iranian officials to halt their nuclear activities, but Tehran continued its activities. An American official stated that there had been 'widespread concern' about the Iranian government's activities at Talghan 2 months before the November 5 attack. The Iranian government's nuclear research even prompted the Director of National Intelligence of the United States to change his assessment of Iran's nuclear program. The Wall Street Journal reported on August 10 of this year that the National Intelligence report to Congress, unlike previous years' reports, did not contain the statement that the Islamic Republic is not currently conducting key activities necessary for developing nuclear weapons capable of being tested. When Israel was preparing to attack the positions of the Islamic Republic in response to the Iranian government's missile attack on Israel on October 10, Talghan 2 was selected as a target for the attack. According to officials, Joe Biden asked Benjamin Netanyahu not to attack the Iranian government's nuclear facilities to prevent a large-scale war between Iran and Israel. However, since Talghan 2 was not part of the declared nuclear program of the Islamic Republic, the Iranian government cannot acknowledge the significance of the attack on this site without admitting to violating the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. An American official told Axios that the Israeli attack on Talghan 2 conveyed the message that the Israelis have significant intelligence oversight even on ultra-secret matters known to only a few Iranian officials. On November 5, Israel, in a 'precise and targeted' operation involving at least 100 fighter jets, targeted over 20 military positions mainly related to the air defense of the Islamic Republic in four provinces: Tehran, Semnan, Ilam, and Khuzestan. These retaliatory attacks by Israel followed the Iranian government's missile attack on October 10, during which over 180 ballistic missiles were fired at Israel. While Israel chose to attack military positions of the Islamic Republic, there had been much speculation about the possibility of attacking nuclear facilities, energy infrastructure, and even political and military figures, including Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic. David Albright, a former UN weapons inspector, stated in a post on X, citing commercial satellite images, that Israel targeted a building in Parchin called 'Talghan 2,' which was used for experimental activities during the dissolved nuclear weapons development program known as 'Amad.' He referenced documents stolen by Israel in 2018, stating that the Islamic Republic had kept important experimental equipment at 'Talghan 2.' Albright added that even if the Islamic Republic had removed key materials from this building before the Israeli airstrike, the inherent value of the building for activities related to nuclear weapons in the future should not be overlooked. Albright further stated that satellite images from Parchin show that Israel damaged three other buildings located 320 meters from 'Talghan 2.' In two of these three buildings, solid fuel for ballistic missiles was being mixed. An American government employee was accused of leaking classified documents regarding the Israeli attack on Iran. Netanyahu told the Iranians: Your government spent $2.3 billion to attack Israel. Netanyahu: We have complete agreement with Trump regarding the threats from the Iranian government. Zarif says Tehran will respond to the Israeli attack 'at the right time.' Washington warns: An attack by the Islamic Republic from Iraq will face a military response from Israel. The Wall Street Journal: Tehran has told regional countries it will give a complex response to Israel. American and Israeli generals are negotiating about the 'threats' from the Iranian government. Washington warns: We cannot deter Israel from responding to a potential attack by the Islamic Republic. Khamenei and the IRGC emphasize again; the response to Israel is 'certain.' The deployment of U.S. strategic bombers; a new warning from Washington to Tehran.