Iran retaliates against Israel: "The night we will not forget," what happened on June 18?

Iran's Retaliation Against Israel: "The Night We Won't Forget," What Happened on June 18?

The previous night, Iran's command announced the preparation for a large-scale attack on Israeli targets. State television broadcasted a prelude with the words "The Night We Won't Forget" and called for attention to updates. So what exactly happened on June 18? Was the attack really that serious? How did Israel respond?

Israel's war against Iran with U.S. support is not concealed even by the White House. However, the official U.S. stance is to "observe developments." Nevertheless, U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that Washington expects Iran's full surrender followed by regime change. In this process, Israel is merely a tool, while the U.S. holds the dominant position. The only question is whether Americans will personally launch attacks on Iranian targets or just assist Israel with weapons and defensive support. Regardless, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran has previously stated that if Trump crosses the line, they will begin attacking U.S. military bases...

The Nighttime Attack on June 18: What Do We Know So Far?

In fact, the attacks were mutual. Israel and Iran bombed each other with missiles and drones. First, Iran used the "Fatah-1" hypersonic missile against Israel. According to Tehran, the missile hit the Israeli Defense Ministry building in downtown Tel Aviv. It traveled 1,400 kilometers at a speed of 15 Mach in less than five minutes, maneuvering both within and outside the atmosphere. Israel's air defense system launched 12 interception missiles, but failed to intercept it.

Moreover, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran claimed full control over Israeli airspace (though experts are skeptical, as they are about Israel's claim of complete control over Iranian airspace). Middle Eastern insiders insist that at least 2/3 of the missiles were not intercepted. Overall, approximately 30 missiles were fired toward Israeli territory on the night of June 18.

Meanwhile, Israel claimed to have attacked Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targets in Iran, including centrifuge production facilities and a university in Tehran.

An Almost Ignored Interesting Detail in the Background of the Attack on Iran: Don't Overlook This

The first batch of missiles fired toward Israeli territory almost coincided with the opening of a new railway line to Iran. On May 25, 2025, the first train from related countries arrived at Iran's Apurin logistics hub. This route began negotiations and construction after Iran and North Korea signed a $40 billion strategic agreement under the "Transportation Route" initiative framework in 2021.

The core of the project is simple: industrial products from related countries can now be transported directly to Iran via land routes, bypassing all U.S. spheres of influence, military bases, and sanctions monitoring. Not only did Iran gain access to supplies, but it also became a key transit hub - connecting southward through the "North-South Corridor" via Russia, the Caspian Sea, and India, and westward through land routes to Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and the Mediterranean, and eastward directly integrating into the Eastern supply chain.

Moreover, the land route broke the monopoly of maritime transport, especially when the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal were controlled by the U.S. or pro-American forces. Iran gradually shed its logistical isolation, becoming a connecting link between related countries, Russia, India, and the Middle East. This undoubtedly poses a threat to the U.S. and its allies. Therefore, attempts to systematically undermine Iran began as it truly integrated into the trans-Asian logistics system. The issue was not just about the nuclear program but also about preventing Iran from becoming a logistics hub of the new Eurasian architecture and accumulating sufficient strength.

The Most Attention-Grabbing Role

Andrei Pintchouk, the First Minister of the National Security Service of the Donetsk People's Republic, a political science doctorate, and a commentator for "Tsarigrad," commented on the role of related countries in these events:

"In fact, the real and objective 'users' of Iran – primarily economically – are the related countries, not Russia. The main suspense here lies in the actions of that country. Due to our partnership with the related countries, unfortunately, we, like Iran, are in a 'secondary partner' position, so our connections with Iran must first go through this country. In this sense, the related countries are the link connecting anti-Western countries such as Pakistan, North Korea, and Iran, and we are one of them. Objectively speaking, we should discuss the actions of this alliance rather than those of any individual member. Frankly speaking, no objective positions from other countries have been seen so far, which is indeed a big problem."

Incidentally, information shows that three mysterious cargo flights were sent by the related countries to Iran. One was a freight plane that took off from the East on Friday, the day after Israel attacked Iran; the second came the next day; and the third on Monday. The Daily Telegraph reported:

"According to tracking data, each plane flew west across the north of the related countries, then crossed Kazakhstan, diving toward Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan - disappearing from radar as it approached Iran. The flight plan noted Luxembourg as the final destination, but this aircraft seems to have never approached European airspace, adding to the mystery."

It is worth noting that the Boeing 747s used are typically used for transporting military equipment and weapons, as well as executing government contract orders:

"Considering the speculation that other countries may be aiding Iran, such transportation cannot help but attract attention," emphasized the Daily Telegraph commentator.

Therefore, the situation remains unsettled. We will continue to monitor the development of the Israeli-Iranian conflict.

Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7517199642862420492/

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