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Established in January, the new unit is a reflection of the IAF’s defined responsibility to be prepared for a future order to mount strikes on sites in Iran.

Yaakov Lappin

(JNS)

A recently established Iran Unit in the Israeli Air Force is dealing with preparations for potential long-range Israeli air operations.

The unit was established in January at the IAF’s operational headquarters, Israel’s Walla! news site reported on Feb. 19.

The unit is a reflection of the IAF’s defined responsibility to be prepared for a future order to mount strikes on sites in Iran such as nuclear facilities and missile bases.

IAF planners face a complex and extensive challenge that demands meticulous planning across several areas: intelligence gathering, the selection of ammunition, choice of aerial platforms and refueling capabilities. The scale and scope of such an operation are vastly different from short-range operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

A solo Israeli strike and a joint Israeli-American strike are both possible scenarios, though the United States under the current administration appears deeply adverse to direct military action against Iran.

The F-35 fighter jet, with its stealth capabilities and vast intelligence-gathering abilities, appears to be the natural candidate for taking the lead in such a strike. In September, Israel formally requested to procure a third F-35 squadron, which would bring the total number of such jets in the IAF to 75. Israel currently has 36 of the 50 jets it has ordered from manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

The IAF, in addition to striking Hamas targets in Gaza and Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on a daily basis, has reportedly also been highly busy in Syria, combating Iranian efforts to build weapons or smuggle them to Hezbollah.

A series of high-level Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps officers, including Sayyed Razi Mousavi, the IRGC’s Syria commander, were killed in airstrikes in and around Damascus in recent months.

Nevertheless, despite the ongoing war and associated activities, Iran remains its own critical arena, due to its conventional and unconventional capabilities. Iran is home to the Middle East’s largest and most varied missile arsenal, a portion of which can strike targets in Israel.

Meanwhile, Iran’s nuclear program is moving ahead at an alarming rate.

On Tuesday, the Associated Press reported that Iran has further increased its overall uranium stockpile, citing a report by the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency watchdog. As Iran continues to bar International Atomic Energy Agency access to its nuclear sites, as of Feb. 10 it had amassed 5,525.5 kilograms (12,182 pounds) of enriched uranium—more than 1,000 kilograms (2205 pounds) more than was documented in the IAEA’s last quarterly report, released in November 2023.

Of that, 121.5 kilograms has been enriched to 60%, representing a decrease of 6.8 kilograms (14.9 pounds) since the last report in November 2023, according to Reuters.

The decrease is reportedly the result of Iran having diluted some of its 60% enriched uranium in recent weeks with lower-grade material.

The Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security estimated in January that Iran could build a crude nuclear weapon within six months.

For weaponization to occur, the Iranians would need to conduct simulations, testing, convert uranium into metallic components and integrate all of the parts into a weapon. This would include the need to place them on missile warheads or bombs, and a possible underground nuclear test.

This means that the IAF must ensure immediate operational readiness.

Already in 2022, the IAF made long-range strike capabilities against Iranian nuclear sites as its top priority.

Iran’s nuclear sites—the most famous of which are the Natanz and Fordow uranium enrichment sites—are not only far away but also heavily fortified, with advanced air-defense systems. In Fordow’s case, the facility is built deep inside a mountain.

In 2020, the Israel Defense Forces formed the Strategy and Third Circle Directorate (a reference to countries in Israel’s “third-circle” periphery, with Iran being the focal point). The directorate was formed due to the need to create a comprehensive, holistic view of threats that begin on Iranian soil and reach the borders of Israel, rather than narrowly viewing developments in isolation from one another.

Image: IAF F-35 stealth fighter aircraft fly in Israeli airspace. Credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.

Two Hezbollah members were killed in an Israeli Air Force strike in Syria early Sunday.

(JNS)

Israel will continue to expand its airstrikes on Hezbollah terror targets in Lebanon, even if Jerusalem reaches a ceasefire-for-hostages deal with Hamas in Gaza, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant vowed during a visit to the military’s Northern Command headquarters in Safed on Sunday.

“In the event of a temporary truce in Gaza, we will increase the fire in the north, and will continue until the full withdrawal of Hezbollah [from the border] and the return of the residents to their homes,” Gallant said.

Attacks from the Land of the Cedars have killed six civilians and 10 IDF soldiers since Iran-backed Hezbollah Shi’ite militia joined the war in support of Hamas on Oct. 8. Some 80,000 Israelis have been displaced from their homes up to 6 miles from the border with Lebanon.

“We are planning to increase the firepower against Hezbollah, which is unable to find replacements for the commanders we are eliminating,” Gallant stated on Sunday.

He added, “The goal is simple—to push Hezbollah back to where it should be. Either by [diplomatic] agreement, or we will do it by force.”

Two Hezbollah members were killed in an Israeli Air Force strike in Syria early Sunday, according to the Britain-based war monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The reported missile attack on a truck occurred near the Lebanese border, in an area overlapping the governorates of Homs and the Damascus countryside.

Three people were killed in the attack on two civilian trucks west of Homs in Syria, the Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese Al Mayadeen TV news channel claimed.

Hezbollah on Sunday announced the deaths of two of its members, Ahmed Muhammad al-Afi and Hussein Ali al-Dirani, both from the Beqaa area in Lebanon, who were apparently killed in the alleged Israeli strike in Syria.

According to the Iranian terrorist proxy, 214 of its members have been killed since the start of the current Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Israel has attacked Syrian targets 16 times since the start of this year—10 airstrikes and six rocket attacks from ground forces.

The attacks have destroyed some 34 targets, including weapons and ammunition warehouses, headquarters and vehicles. A total of 35 combatants were killed and 13 others wounded. Additionally, nine civilians were killed.

At the start of February, the IDF said that it attacked more than 50 targets belonging to Hezbollah and other Iran-backed terrorist groups in Syria since Oct. 7.

Terrorist cell eliminated, weapons storage destroyed

An Israeli air attack destroyed a Hezbollah weapons storage facility after a terrorist cell was spotted entering the structure in the area of Matmoura in Southern Lebanon on Saturday.

Following the strike secondary explosions occurred, indicating a large quantity of weapons stored there.

In addition, Israeli fighter jets struck an operational command center used by Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force in the area of Baraachit in Southern Lebanon.

Furthermore, IDF artillery fired to remove a threat in the area of the village of Rachaya Al Foukhar in Lebanon.

Hezbollah fires four rockets

Hezbollah took responsibility for four rockets that were fired on Sunday morning from Lebanon at Israel’s Galilee Panhandle, hitting open areas near Moshav Margaliot.

The Iranian terrorist proxy said that it was targeting an army base. The IDF confirmed the rocket fire that triggered air-raid sirens in Kiryat Shmona and surrounding communities. There were no initial reports of injuries or damage.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a message to Hezbollah last week during a visit to troops stationed near the Lebanese border, telling the Iranian terrorist proxy that it “must understand—we will restore security.”

Hezbollah has been conducting daily cross-border attacks since joining Hamas in the war. Israel has been pounding Hezbollah targets from the air inside Lebanon and with artillery at the border.

“In the north, we have a simple goal: to return the residents [to their homes near the border with Lebanon]. In order to do that, we must restore security—and this will be achieved. We will not relent here. We will achieve this in one of two ways: Militarily—if necessary; diplomatically—if possible,” Netanyahu said, according to a government statement.

Image: Northern Command head Gen. Ori Gordin speaks with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant at the IDF headquarters in Safed, Feb. 25, 2024. Credit: Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry.