Illustrative image. (Israeli Defense Forces)
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced on May 16 that it had struck and destroyed a compound in the center of the Iranian capital, Tehran, that it described as part of Iran’s military space program and used to develop capabilities to attack satellites.
In a statement, the military said that the strike was carried out by the Israeli Air Force based on what it called precise intelligence and targeted a site used to develop anti-satellite capabilities that it said posed a threat to Israeli satellites and to space assets belonging to other countries.
The compound was, according to the military, involved in military space projects, including development of the Chamran-1 satellite, which it said was built by the Iranian Defense Ministry’s electronics industries and launched into space in September 2024 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Following the launch of the satellite, the United States intelligence community worldwide threat assessment warned that Iran’s development of satellite launch vehicles “would shorten the timeline” for it to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile.
The IDF stressed in its statement that it would continue operating to protect Israeli capabilities “on the ground, in the air, at sea and in space.”
Separately, an Israeli military official from Unit 9900, the IDF’s clandestine satellite intelligence division, said in a very rare statement that the goal of the attack was to maintain Israel’s supremacy in space, especially regarding satellite surveillance.
“We are leading many efforts to preserve the IDF’s freedom of action in the arena of space, and to harm the capabilities of Iran to act and to build such forces,” said the official.
He complimented the Defense Ministry and the broader defense establishment to help “IDF intelligence to continue to operate surveillance satellites and to provide critical intelligence for the war, to provide warnings [of ballistic missile launches] and to” target adversaries throughout the Middle East.
Click to see full-size image. (Israeli Defense Forces)
The IDF released satellite images showing the compound, the Iranian Space Research Center (ISRC) in Tarasht, before and after the strikes. Videos posted online indicate that it was hit two days earlier.
This was the second time the IDF has announced an attack on Iran’s space program since the start of the war on the country.
The military said on March 8 that it had attacked an IRGC compound that “served as a reception, transmission, and research center for the Iranian Space Agency, which is affiliated with the regime’s military.”
The headquarters included “research facilities as well as a command-and-control structure for the Khayyam satellite,” launched by Russia for IRAN in August 2022, which the IDF says was used by the IRGC to “advance terror activities and monitor the State of Israel and countries in the region.”
Iran has stated more than once in the past that its space program is of a civilian nature. While the Islamic Republic made major advances in the field in recent years, it was certainly still far behind on complex capabilities like the interception of satellites.
The latest Israeli strikes were clearly meant to hinder the Iranian space program, or even kill it altogether. While the program was badly hit, this is not likely its end.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com
iran is being severely penetrated…heheheh
bobby sue guna fix it now yall heeeeeeeeeeeee yeah!!! yall no