Satellite image analysis: Iranian attack destroyed the Israeli air base

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An Iranian attack on an Israeli desert air base last week as part of Tehran's unprecedented attack on the country A satellite image analyzed by The Associated Press on Saturday showed the destruction of the taxi lane.

Overall damage to Nevatim Air Base in southern Israel was minor despite Iran launching hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. Israeli air defenses and fighter jets, with support from the US, UK and neighboring Jordan, The vast majority were dropped From the coming fire.

But last weekend's Iranian attack demonstrated Tehran's willingness to use its massive arsenal of ballistic missiles directly against Israel, as tensions remain high across the wider Middle East over… The war between Israel and Hamas In the Gaza Strip. that A clear Israeli retaliatory attack On Friday in Isfahan, Iran, Tehran's simple reaction to it suggests both countries want to scale back the long-running shadow war for now — even though the risk of a broader conflagration in the region remains.

A Planet Labs PBC photo taken Friday by The Associated Press shows a new surface across a corridor near the hangars in the southern part of Nevatim Air Base, about 65 kilometers (40 miles) south of Jerusalem. The Haaretz daily, which published low-resolution photos of the site on Thursday, identified nearby hangars as housing C-130 cargo planes flown by transport squadrons.

The satellite image is consistent with footage published earlier by the Israeli army, which showed construction equipment working on the damaged corridor. The hangar in the background of the video mirrors one seen nearby.

Other photos published by the Israeli army showed a hole in the sand and damage under what appeared to be a wall, which it said was caused by the Iranian attack. The minor visible damage seen at the air base in the satellite image is in direct contrast to Iran's efforts to portray the attack as a great victory for a people disaffected by the Islamic Republic's deteriorating economy and its harsh crackdowns on dissent in recent years.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Friday, “This operation has become a sign of the strength of the Islamic Republic and its armed forces.” It also demonstrated the steel determination of our people and our wise leader, the commander of all forces.

However, it shows that Iran's arsenal has the ability to reach Israel, as the April 13 attack marked the first direct military attack on the country by a foreign country since the Iraqi dictator. Saddam Hussein fired Scud missiles at Israel In the 1991 Gulf War.