Drone strike at Isfahan has worked before, was it the right move now? - analysis

• Published date: 19 April 2024
• Author: YONAH JEREMY BOB
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

It is also possible that long-range missiles were used, though initial reports indicate an attack from within Iran, which would be more consistent with drone strikes

In January 2023, despite claims from Tehran, a drone attack on Iran at Isfahan was a tremendous success, according to a mix of Western intelligence sources and foreign sources, The Jerusalem Post learned at the time.

There were four explosions at the site, which could even be witnessed on social media, against a facility developing advanced weapons, and the damage went far beyond the "minor roof damage" that the Islamic Republic claimed here as well as regarding other incidents in recent years.

Israel played both the current and January 2023 incidents mum, but most Western intelligence and Iranian sources credited the Mossad with similarly successful attacks against a nuclear facility at Natanz in July 2020, a different one there in April 2021, another nuclear facility at Karaj in June 2021 and in one destroying at least 120 Iranian drones in February 2022.

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett later publicly admitted to ordering the attack on Iran's drone facility in February 2022.

There are also few organizations globally besides the Mossad that are reported to have the advanced and surgical strike capabilities appeared to be displayed in this operation.

Iran's history of denial

In each of the incidents, Tehran tried to initially pretend that the attacks failed and only acknowledged the extent of...