ISRAEL has Iran locked in a strategic chokehold after its precision revenge air base strike near a nuclear site and there could be more to come.
Reports have surfaced that Tel Aviv may have launched the attack as a “trap” to “test the waters” before unleashing its full revenge on Tehran.
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In the early hours of Friday a single Israeli strike hit an Iranian air force base near the City of Isfahan – next door to a nuclear site.
Iranian civilians woke up today to reports of a “micro drone” attack on the military HQ.
Western officials close to the Israeli plans revealed that the hit may only be “the first stage” in a revenge saga for Iran’s missile blitz on Israel last Saturday.
A diplomat in Lebanon told the BBC: “The strategy is: Minor attack to make Iran react for a major response on the nuclear sites”.
READ MORE ON IRAN V ISRAEL
It comes after reports first surfaced two weeks ago that Tel Aviv had plans to strike Iranian nuclear sites.
Another Western military official believes Israel is trying to “mirror Iran and it’s allies like Hezbollah” by starting with a small attack, destroying radars and throwing out a sort of red herring.
Iranian state TV immediately launched into damage control this morning claiming it had “destroyed” three drones with its air defence batteries and no damage was caused on the ground.
One channel released footage of Isfahan’s “tranquil atmosphere” in a desperate attempt to downplay the embarrassment of Israel’s surprise ambush.
But former British Army commander and military analyst Hamish de Bretton-Gordon told The Sun why Iran has been humiliated by the attack.
Israel has Iran in a ‘chokehold’
The retired soldier explained that Iran’s reaction this morning is evidence that they are “no match for Israel”.
He said: “Iran fires 300 plus drones and missiles at Israel, 99.9 per cent of them get taken down.
“It would appear overnight that Israel has fired one, possibly two missiles at Iran, and they’ve got through.”
Israel has got its hand around Iran’s neck, squeezing it tight enough and Iran knows that the only way to get that strangle hold off is to cease conventionally trying to attack Israel, go back to the shadows
Hamish de-Bretton Gordon
The military expert told The Sun: “Israel has got its hand around Iran’s neck, squeezing it tight enough and Iran knows that the only way to get that strangle hold off is to cease conventionally trying to attack Israel, go back to the shadows.”
“It’s one nil to Israel. And Iran, I think, knows that it’s got to accept that. Otherwise, you know, the whole place could explode.
“They are over-matched in every area. The only way they can progress is how they’ve been doing it for the last 10 or 20 years, through their terror groups and through their proxies.
“Israel, although it’s a tiny country compared to Iran it does spend almost double, if not triple, the amount on defence. The kit it has is absolutely state of the art.”
He added he thinks the choice of Israel’s target – next to a nuclear base – was “significant”.
He said: “They’ve hit their target. Near Isfahan, a very militarised city. It’s hit a base. Perhaps the Iranian revolutionary guard core. We don’t know.
“The fact that it’s close to a nuclear facility, I think is significant. I think it’s really Israeli demonstrating: ‘Yeah, we can hit anywhere.'”
Meanwhile, security and politics expert Anthony Glees said it is likely that the strike was just a flare to test the waters in Iran – and further attacks are “highly possible”.
“[Wider attacks on Iran] are highly possible knowing what kind of a PM Netanyahu is. He is always up for anything that looks and smells like escalation.
“And adding to that is the feeling the Israelis would have that something has got to be done to stop their lives from being threatened by Khameini’s regime who have repeatedly called for [Israel’s] extinction.
“What we saw in Isfahan could just be an attempt by the Israelis to test how strong Iranian defence forces are – and how accurate could Israeli strikes be.”
Prof Glees believes that Netanyahu knows he is at an advantage right now – and with the US backing Israel’s security, he could turn up against Iran to destroy the current regime before it becomes a nuclear power.
“Anything is possible, we are dealing with wild cards and unpredictable leaders, both as far as Netanyahu and Ali Khameini are concerned.
“It would be foolish not to conclude that powerful voices in Israel would be telling Netanyahu that he currently has the advantage.
“And with Biden turning towards him, Netanyahu would think this is the time to obliterate Ayotolah’s regime before Iran has nuclear weapons and make Israel safe for a generation. That temptation would always be there.”
Hossein Dalirian, spokesperson for the Iran’s National Centre of Cyberspace, outright denied an external Israeli attack.
He wrote on X: “There has been no air attack from outside borders to Isfahan or other parts of the country.”
But Iran’s FARS news agency did report that three explosions were heard near the military base in Isfahan.
“The defence is activated in response to an object that is likely to be a drone,” sources told the outlet.
Iranians took to the streets of Tehran in hordes today in an anti-Israel protest after last night’s strike.
They chanted “death to Israel”, “death to America” and “death to Zionists” while waving Iranian and Palestinian flags.
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‘The Iranians are very scared’
Amid conflicting reports from inside Iran this morning – it appears officials in Tehran have been shaken by the strike.
A Middle East policy expert told Sky that the “Iranians are very scared” as the country bubbles with its own internal conflicts.
She says 90 per cent of Iranians want to “oust the regime from power that’s been torturing them for the past 45 years”.
The fact that it’s close to a nuclear facility, I think is significant. I think it’s really Israeli demonstrating: ‘Yeah, we can hit anywhere’
Hamish de-Bretton Gordon
Officials are now facing a clear indication from Israel that their military prowess pales in comparison at a time of serious domestic instability.
In an attempt to save face Iranian General Siavash Mihandoost told state TV today: “The sound heard early in the morning today in Isfahan was not an explosion, it was our powerful air defence firing at a suspicious object.
He insisted: “It caused no damage or incident at all.”
Explosions last night were also heard in Iraq and Syria in what appeared to be further hits on Iranian puppet terror groups across the Middle East.
De-Bretton Gordon said: “There were a number of other strikes overnight by Israeli air power into Syria, and also Iran striking at probably Iranian militia forces, probably radar sites.
“So again, it’s part of a complex operation. I expect the Israelis are doing to really deter Iran and also break down that capability and influence.”
This analysis could align with reports from the Western military official that Israel is targeting radar sites and proxy hubs as a first stage in its mission against Iran.
The full scale of the surprise strike – launched just hours after Israeli sources said they would hold off their response – still remains somewhat unclear.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said today he sees a future for Israel where “coalition of countries are working together to deal with the Iranian threat and to isolate it”.
Future targeting of nuclear sites
One of the reports coming from Western military officials suggested Israel could have launched its strike to provoke Iran into a reaction.
This reaction would then justify a “major response on the nuclear sites”.
One of Iran’s fortified underground nuclear plants was near the air base in Isfahan but there was no confirmation that it had been directly targeted.
But reports first surfaced almost two weeks ago that Israel could be planning to hit Iranian nuclear hubs.
Israeli forces were even said to be conducting secret air force drills in preparation for the dangerous escalation.
And the UN’s nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi warned that Israel could indeed target Iran’s nuclear sites.
Iran’s state broadcaster, IRIB, vowed today that nuclear facilities in Isfahan are “completely safe.”
And international nuclear watchdog the IAEA confirmed this morning that no damage was sustained to a nuclear site.
Grossi reiterated calls for “extreme restraint” as the agency said they would continue to monitor the situation closely.
De-Bretton Gordon told The Sun: “If Israel wanted to throw the kitchen sink at Iran, we’d be talking about thousands of missiles and drones and the devastation it could reap would be unbelievable.
“The one thing Iran doesn’t want is its nuclear program affected which Israel could wipe off the pace of Iran, you know, overnight.
“The Iranians know that, and they’re not stupid.”
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International responses
US officials confirmed that they were given notice of an “imminent” Israeli attack shortly before the early hours strike.
Blinken refused to comment on the strike today but did say: “The United States has not been involved in any offensive operations.”
The UK Prime Minister’s office said Israel has a right to self defence but added: “we have been stressing to Israelis that what matters now is de-escalation”.
Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani said today that the US told G7 that it had been “informed at the last minute” of Israel’s plans.
Analysts have described the Isfahan attack – five days after Iran’s flop drone and missile blitz was blocked by Israel’s Iron Dome defences and war jets – as “an extremely dangerous moment.”
World leaders have been warning for days of rising tensions amid fears that an all-out war could break out in the region.
The Sun previously laid out a terrifying war simulation that explains how a war between Iran and Israel would unfold, and quickly go nuclear.
Iran’s aerial attack on Israel
IRAN launched an unprecedented aerial barrage on Israel overnight on Saturday April 13.
BY ELLIE DOUGHTY
In the first attack of its kind, Iran hurled 110 ballistic missiles, 36 cruise missiles and 185 attack drones across Middle Eastern airspace.
Between Israel’s impressive Iron Dome air defence system and allied efforts from the UK and US, Tehran’s attack was largely thwarted.
At least four Typhoon fighters took out some of the weapons bound for Israel after scrambling from the RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog described the ambush as a “declaration of war”.
Despite worldwide calls for cool heads to prevail, Netanyahu’s ranks repeatedly insisted that a retaliatory strike would be the only response.
IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said: “We cannot stand still from this kind of aggression, Iran will not get [off] scot-free with this aggression.
“We will respond in our time, in our place, in the way that we will choose.”
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council vowed to hit back against Israel if a counter-attack was launched.
US president Joe Biden, said to privately fear a catastrophic escalation in the Middle East, pushed Netanyahu to call off an immediate retaliation on Saturday night.
Israel’s war cabinet then spent days locked in crunch meetings and quickly approved plans for an “offensive” but the timing and scale remained murky.
Despite Israel claiming otherwise, the US made clear that it would not contribute to a revenge hit against Iran.
