The Israeli army has launched a strike that has seriously weakened Iran’s ability to produce ballistic missiles, which could significantly affect the conflict potential in the region. According to three Israeli sources, the operation destroyed critical elements needed to upgrade Iran’s missile arsenal, Axios reports, citing three sources in Israel.
Why it matters
The destruction of key equipment used to produce solid fuel means a serious blow to Iran’s missile programme. According to the sources, the operation targeted 12 special “planetary mixers” – sophisticated equipment that Iran cannot produce on its own and has to buy from China. This could deter Iran from launching massive missile attacks on Israel and weaken the ability to replenish the missile arsenal that Iran provides to its allies, including Hezbollah and the Houthis. It is estimated that the restoration of production capacity will take at least a year.
Details of the impact
Israeli sources also confirmed that the attack struck four S-300 batteries located in strategically important places to protect Tehran, Iran’s nuclear and energy facilities. At the same time, the Iranian army in its statement noted that the strike was carried out from Iraqi airspace, but limited itself to mentioning the damage to several radars, which are reportedly being repaired. The statement did not mention any damage to missile or drone production facilities.
Diplomatic response
US President Joe Biden said that the strike was aimed exclusively at military targets in Iran and called for an end to the escalation between the countries. On Saturday, Biden held a meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris and the national security team to discuss the security situation following Israel’s response to Iran’s attack on 1 October. The president stressed the need to protect US forces in the region and to help Israel in the event of possible counterattacks by Iran and its allies.
Amid the escalation, the Prime Minister of Qatar discussed the situation with the Iranian Foreign Minister, expressing serious concern over the escalation and calling on the parties to exercise maximum restraint. The statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar emphasised the importance of avoiding steps that could destabilise the region.
What’s next?
Given the scale and precision of Israeli strikes, as well as Iran’s limited resources to quickly resume missile production, the operation is expected to have long-term consequences. The situation retains a high potential for further escalation, but also opens up opportunities for new diplomatic efforts to avoid further deterioration.
