(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Nevatim and Ramon Air Bases, hosting Israel’s F-35I Adir and F-16I Sufa fighter jets, respectively, and located in the Negev Desert in southern Israel, were among the primary targets of Iran’s ballistic missile and suicide drone strikes named “Operation True Promise” last night.
These Israeli Air Force bases reportedly played a crucial role in recent missions where Israeli fighter jets bombed an Iranian embassy building in Damascus, Syria, earlier this month. The attack resulted in the deaths of seven Iranian military officials, including three of general rank.
Nevatim Air Base, located in southern Israel near the Palestinian border, was one of the primary targets in Iran’s “Operation True Promise” missile and suicide drone attack last night.
According to Iranian media sources, at least 15 Iranian ballistic missiles targeted the Israeli base, which houses the country’s F-35I Adir fighter jet squadron.
These missile strikes were recorded by local Israeli residents, with footage showing at least four hits on the major Israeli airbase, contradicting Israeli military claims of intercepting 99 percent of the incoming missiles and drones.
(Nevatim Air Base being struck by Iranian missiles)
The sources also alleged significant damage to the base, rendering it temporarily inoperable.
“Following the ballistic missile attack, the airbase sustained severe damage and is temporarily inoperable,” according to claims made by sources to Iranian media.
Nevatim Air Base, home to the 140 Squadron or “Golden Eagle Squadron,” is strategically located near the city of Be’er Sheva in the central Negev Desert.
It has been implicated in recent Israeli F-35I Adir missions targeting the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria, marking it a prime target for these Iranian attacks.
This assault follows a simulation of a missile attack on Nevatim Air Base by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) last year, which is approximately 1,100km from the western border of Iran.
(Ramon Air Base located in the Negev Desert and housed Israeli’s F-16I Sufa fighter aircraft and Apache attack helicopters.)
Meanwhile, Iranian sources claim that at least seven ballistic missiles targeted Ramon Air Base, also in the Negev Desert, which reportedly suffered damage.
Ramon Air Base hosts F-16I Sufa fighters and AH-64D Apache attack helicopters.
Additional reports from Iran state that the Meron military base which sits atop Mount Jarmak in northern Palestine, one of Israel’s most critical military installations, was also targeted by missile and drone attacks.
This base, operated by the 11th Battalion 506 of the Israeli Air Force, is considered crucial for managing air operations over Syria and Lebanon.
Iran alleges that the Meron military base in Israel provided intelligence and guidance for an Israeli airstrike on an Iranian embassy building in Damascus, Syria.
The critical Israeli Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) base had also come under repeated rocket and missile attacks by Hezbollah.
Earlier this month, Israeli fighter jets launched an attack on this embassy, resulting in the deaths of at least three high-ranking officers from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The deceased officers were identified as Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who led the Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon; Brigadier General Mohammad Mehdi Rahimi; and Brigadier General Hossein Aminollah, the Chief of Staff of the Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon. — DSA