Satellite images have surfaced, indicating Iran’s attempts to obscure the extent of damage inflicted by an alleged Israeli airstrike on a key air defense battery near Isfahan, central Iran. The strike, which reportedly took place in response to an Iranian drone and missile attack on Israel earlier this month, appears to have targeted an S-300 air defense system, critically damaging its 30N6E2 Tombstone radar.
The Institute for Science and International Security shared high-resolution images that uncover marks consistent with fire damage and subsequent extinguishing efforts. Despite initial Iranian claims denying any significant damage, the satellite photos show a vehicle bearing the radar was hit, likely catching fire. A cover was placed over the site, and later, a new vehicle was observed in the same location, suggesting a replacement radar was installed.
However, this replacement radar, identified as a 96l6e “Cheese board” by Chris Biggers, an experienced imagery analyst, is notably incompatible with the S-300 system. Biggers remarked to The Economist, “It’s a case of denial and deception to suggest the site is still operational.” This mismatch means the air defense battery cannot function as intended, signifying a potential operational gap in Iran’s defense network.
The rapid replacement of the radar has been interpreted as an effort by Iran to project resilience and deny the effectiveness of the Israeli strike. Satellite imagery expert Biggers concluded that the site is “almost certainly” not operational with the new radar in place.
“This strike shows Israel has the ability to penetrate Iran’s air defense systems,” said Nicole Grajewski, a fellow at the Carnegie Endowment’s nuclear policy program who wrote a forthcoming book on Russia and Iran. “The precision of it was quite remarkable.”
The S-300 system protects significant Iranian nuclear facilities, and the attack has highlighted vulnerabilities in Iran’s air defenses. By replacing the damaged radar with an incompatible one, Iran might be seeking to avoid a broader crisis and reassure domestic and international audiences of its defensive capabilities.
Relevant articles:
– Satellite images show Iran attempted to cover up damage of alleged Israeli strike, ynetnews.com, 04/26/2024
– How Iran covered up the damage from Israel’s strikes, The Economist, Wed, 24 Apr 2024 11:02:04 GMT
– Satellite photos suggest Iran air defense radar struck in Isfahan during apparent Israeli attack, ABC News, Thu, 25 Apr 2024 14:36:21 GMT
– Iran tried to cover up damage of alleged Israeli strikes – report, The Jerusalem Post, Wed, 24 Apr 2024 18:43:06 GMT
– Institute for Science and International Security, Institute for Science and International Security, Tue, 23 Apr 2024 23:05:12 GMT