Iran says Nevatim, Mount Hermon bases were targets of attack

An article carried by state-run Iranian Students News Agency says Tehran’s attack last night targeted the Nevatim air base and a military facility on Mount Hermon.

According to the unsigned column, which seemingly reflects the regime’s party line on the attack, Nevatim was targeted because, Tehran alleges, a deadly assault on the country’s consulate in Damascus earlier this month was launched from there.

It says a military intelligence site on Mount Hermon was also a target, and that the attack was also meant as a response to years of Israeli attacks on Iranian positions in Syria.

“Israeli cities were not supposed to be targeted in this operation, although Israeli citizens experienced the worst night of their lives,” the column claims, not mentioning the small Bedouin girl who was the lone Israeli wounded, according to Israel.

Instead, ISNA claims that “Iran’s missiles hit the predetermined targets. However, Israel is trying to downplay the damage of this attack.”

The column describes the attack on Israel, in which some 99% of over 300 projectiles were shot down, as a major victory for Tehran, running it alongside an airbrushed picture of air defense activity over the Dome of the Rock.

Reports that the US won’t join an Israeli counterattack are seen as a sign that Iran proved its mettle and now even Washington doesn’t want to tangle.

“This operation raised the deterrence level of the Islamic Republic of Iran and even the repeated calls of Western officials to dissuade Iran from responding to Israel were useless,” it says.

The column also goes big on the threats, including quoting Iran air force chief Major General Ali Bagheri claiming that Iran could have mounted an attack 10 times larger, but wasn’t looking to go balls to the wall yet.