The Israel Defense Forces said this F-16I was involved in the attack on Iran. (Israel Defense Forces)
Israel carried out a more extensive attack in retaliation for Iran's 1 October ballistic missile attack than it did after the Iranian attack in April, when it knocked out a single S-300 air-defence system.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released a statement on 26 October announcing the air force had carried out the expected attack on Iran overnight, saying it had targeted the Islamic Republic of Iran's ability to produce missiles that can reach Israel, as well air-defence capabilities that were intended to limit Israeli operations.
“Our message is very, very clear … any threat, anywhere, at any time, we know how to reach it,” IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzl Halevi said. “This message is now significantly reinforced. We used only a portion of our capabilities; we can do much more.”
The IDF did not identify the specific targets or the weapons used against them, but said elements of 119 and 201 squadrons, both of which fly F-16I multirole fighters, participated in the operation. It also released a video of an F-15C from 133 Squadron taking off with three external fuel tanks, air-to-air missiles, and an electronic warfare pod.
Iran's General Staff of the Armed Forces released a statement saying Israeli aircraft had used Iraqi airspace to launch missiles with small warheads at radars on the border in Ilam and Khuzestan provinces, as well as around Tehran province. It credited its air defenders with mitigating the attack so that it only caused limited damage, including to radars that were being repaired. It named four members of its air-defence force who it said were killed in the attack.
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