[By Guancha Observer, Shao Yun]

From the evening of the 15th to the 16th local time, the mutual strikes between Iran and Israel continued to escalate. On the 15th, the "War Zone" website reported that one of the most attention-grabbing actions was when the Israeli Air Force announced that it had attacked an Iranian air refueling aircraft located at Mashhad Airport in northeastern Iran, approximately 2300 kilometers away. The strike hit the aircraft at the airport.

The Israeli military stated that this was the "farthest strike" carried out by the Israeli military since launching Operation "Lion Rise" on the 13th. According to the Israeli military, the purpose of this action was to seize control of Iran's airspace and achieve air superiority "throughout Iran." The "Jerusalem Post" reported that this was the first time that the Israeli Air Force had attacked an Iranian military aircraft on the ground.

The "War Zone" website assessment believes that, in fact, this may also be one of the farthest airstrikes ever conducted by the Israeli Air Force. In 1985, the Israeli Air Force attacked the PLO headquarters in Tunisia. In that attack, Israeli aircraft flew at least 2253 kilometers.

Mashhad Airport caught fire on the evening of the 15th local time. Emmanuel Fabian X post from "The Times of Israel" journalist.

Photos circulating on social media allegedly showing explosions in Mashhad X.

According to The Aviationist website, Iran currently only has one Boeing KC-707 and one KC-747 refueling aircraft. Military journalist Babak Taghvaee, who extensively covers the Iranian military, assessed images circulating on social media and concluded that the targeted aircraft was a KC-747 refueling aircraft.

The Aviationist website stated that if true, this attack would be a highly symbolic move by the Israeli Air Force. The Boeing 747 refueling variant is currently flown only by Iran worldwide.

"War Zone" website analysis suggests that although the Iranian Air Force appears to have used its fighters sparingly in the current retaliation, if Iran needs to redeploy its military forces nationwide to counter Israeli Air Force attacks, aerial refueling capability is crucial.

In addition, these aircraft can also undertake critical missions involving key personnel and cargo transport. Flight tracking website Flightradar24 showed that on the 14th, an Iranian Boeing 747 passenger plane took off from the capital Tehran. Reports indicated that this 747 was particularly known for transporting weapons and executing other dangerous government tasks. Preventing Iran from transferring key personnel and cargo, especially those related to nuclear programs, is considered the main goal of this Israeli operation.

Flightradar24 website screenshot Social Media.

However, according to Iran's account, the damaged aircraft was not an operational military aircraft.

According to the Fars News Agency, two explosions were heard in Mashhad on the evening of the 15th local time. Around 6:30 PM, the air defense forces in Mashhad took action near Shahriyar Street. After the explosion sounds, thick smoke rose into the sky. Additionally, an explosion occurred at Mashhad Airport, causing a fire.

The Tehran Times reported on the 15th, citing informed sources, that preliminary reports indicate that the airport attack was carried out by a suicide drone. The attack caused a retired aircraft at the end of the runway to catch fire. Local officials have not disclosed more details or possible casualties but stated that the airport's operational facilities and runways were undamaged, with security work still ongoing.

The Tehran Times said that the attack raised security concerns. It is known that Mashhad is the second largest city in Iran after Tehran and is also an important religious and transportation hub. This is the location of the Imam Reza Shrine, which is the most important Shiite Muslim holy site.

Since the early morning of the 13th local time, Israel has continuously launched large-scale airstrikes against Iran, bombing nuclear facilities and military targets, causing significant casualties. Iran retaliated with ballistic missiles and drones. Since then, both sides have continued to carry out mutual airstrikes. According to nighttime news from Iran's Ministry of Health on the 15th, so far, Israeli attacks have resulted in 224 deaths in Iran and over 1200 injuries.

According to a report by Iran's Tasnim News Agency on the 15th, the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Intelligence, Mohammad Kazemi, his deputy Hassan Mohajegh, and another senior general, Mohsen Bagheri, died in an Israeli airstrike on Tehran. Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Hatem Zadeh said that an Israeli attack on an Iranian Foreign Ministry building on the 15th also caused multiple injuries.

Iran stated on the afternoon of the 15th that it had launched a new round of missile attacks on Israel. The missile attacks on the afternoon of the same day were the first daytime attacks launched by Iran since the recent conflict began. Air raid sirens sounded across a wide area in Jerusalem and central and northern Israel.

Iran claimed to have fired "dozens" of missiles at Tel Aviv, Haifa, and other regions in Israel, marking the entry of "Operation True Promise 3" into a new phase. It is reported that one of the targets of Iran's new missile attacks was the home of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Additionally, a refinery in Haifa, a city in northern Israel, was damaged in the Iranian missile attack, with partial damage to pipelines and transmission lines inside the plant.

The Israeli Government Press Office issued a statement on the 16th saying that since the 13th, Iran has launched more than 370 ballistic missiles at Israel, with 30 locations hit. The attacks have resulted in 24 deaths and 592 injuries, including 10 seriously injured. Israel previously estimated that Iran possessed about 2000 ballistic missiles but could increase this number to 8000 within two years.

On the 16th, the UK's Daily Telegraph said that experts believe that Iran is likely using a large portion of its ballistic missiles to "disperse and overwhelm" Israel's air defense systems, creating breakthroughs for the use of more advanced weapons, such as the "Hajji Qassem" ballistic missiles. The "Hajji Qassem" ballistic missile has a range of approximately 1400 kilometers and uses solid fuel, meaning it can be stored underground for years before launch.

This article is an exclusive contribution by Guancha Observer and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7516512920155718155/

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