Report: IDF’s October strikes drastically reduced Iran’s ability to produce ballistic missiles

People gather around a component from an intercepted ballistic missile fired by Iran on April 14, 2024, that fell near the Dead Sea, April 20, 2024. (AP/Itamar Grinberg)
People gather around a component from an intercepted ballistic missile fired by Iran on April 14, 2024, that fell near the Dead Sea, April 20, 2024. (AP/Itamar Grinberg)

An unnamed Israeli military source tells The Washington Post that the Israel Defense Forces strikes on Iran in October meant that while prior to the strikes Tehran had been able to produce fuel for two new ballistic missiles a day, it was now probably limited to one per week.

The source tells the newspaper that it was assumed the shortfall would continue for a year.

Additionally, former defense minister Yoav Gallant tells the outlet that the aim of the October 26 strikes — which also targeted air defenses and, reportedly, an active nuclear weapons research facility — was to ensure “Iran is weaker and Israel is stronger,” with Tehran unable to respond to future strikes.

“There is no strategic defense around Tehran,” he says.

Gallant also says that the strikes, which were in retaliation for a massive Iranian ballistic missile barrage on Israel on October 1, created “a window to act against Iran” before it manufactures a nuclear weapon.

The former minister additionally confirms that Israel was behind the strike in April on a radar system for an air defense battery in Iran’s central city of Isfahan. That strike was in response to Tehran’s massive drone-and-missile attack against Israel on April 13.

“We hit them precisely, but it wasn’t enough to deter them,” he says.

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