Iranian Military, Political Leaders Reportedly Take Refuge in Underground Military Base “Eagle 44”

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Iranian political and military leaders have reportedly begun relocating from Tehran to the country’s third-largest city, Isfahan, amid preparations for a major retaliatory attack against Israel which could plunge the volatile region into a wider regional conflict.

 Isfahan is situated approximately 440km south of the Iranian capital, Tehran.

International media speculate that this move to Isfahan, believed to house a large and sophisticated underground military base named “Eagle 44,” aims to provide a secure haven for these leaders.

 This strategic relocation precedes Iran’s anticipated large-scale assault on Israel, a response to a recent Israeli airstrike on an Iranian embassy building in Damascus, which resulted in the deaths of seven Iranian military officials, including three generals.

 

The Israeli airstrike notably killed Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior figure leading the Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon, a unit under the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

 This incident marks a significant loss for Iran in the Middle East since the killing of Quds Force Commander Major General Qasem Soleimani by the United States in Baghdad four years prior.

Mohammad Reza was instrumental in coordinating Iranian military operations and its allied militant groups in Syria and Lebanon.

Also confirmed killed in the airstrike were Brigadier General Mohammad Mehdi Rahimi, a close associate of Mohammad Reza and his deputy in the Quds Force operations in Syria and Lebanon, and Brigadier General Hossein Aminollah, the Quds Force’s Chief of Staff in these regions.

The underground base “Eagle 44” is reported to withstand ballistic missile attacks and high-powered bombs, making it a preferred shelter for Iran’s political and military elite during conflict.

 

The construction of this underground military facility was a nine-year endeavor, commencing in 2014.

It is described as one of Iran’s most significant air force bases, equipped to house fighter jets, long-range cruise missiles, and built deep within the earth.

 In addition to military hardware, “Eagle 44” also includes a command center, aircraft maintenance facilities, and various other amenities.

In February of the previous year, the Iranian military unveiled “Eagle 44” (Oghab 44) as its first underground air base, designed to accommodate its fighter jets and advanced drones.

 General Mohamed Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, declared that any attack on Iran, including from Israel, would elicit responses from several of its air force bases, including “Eagle 44.”

 

The state news agency IRNA highlighted “Eagle 44” as among Iran’s most critical military facilities, poised to host fighter jets equipped with long-range cruise missiles.

 Despite the secrecy surrounding its exact location, local media claim the base is situated “hundreds of meters below mountains,” capable of withstanding bombing raids by U.S. aircraft. — DSA