Drone attack on Iranian weapons factory was phenomenal success – sources

The Islamic Republic claimed that the drone attack had failed and only cause minor roof damage.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB, JPOST     29.1.23

An explosion is seen at an Iranian missile and drone test at the 17th Great Prophet drill in Iran.

Despite Iranian claims, the drone attack on Iran at Isfahan was a tremendous success, according to a mix of Western intelligence sources and foreign sources, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

There were four explosions at the site, which can even be witnessed on social media, against a facility developing advanced weapons, and the damage goes far beyond the “minor roof damage” that the Islamic Republic is claiming and which it has falsely claimed before also in other incidents in recent years.

Israel is playing the incident mum, but most Western intelligence and Iranian sources have credited the Mossad with similarly successful attacks against Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility in July 2020, a different Natanz nuclear facility in April 2021, another nuclear facility at Karaj in June 2021 and with destroying around 120 or more Iranian drones in February 2022.

There are also few organizations globally besides the Mossad which are reported to have the advanced and surgical strike capabilities displayed in the operation.

Iran’s response matches responses to similar incidents

In each of those incidents, Tehran tried to initially pretend that the attacks failed and only acknowledged the extent of the damage when satellite photos or other evidence broke into the public sphere, outflanking their denials.

Focus on Iran, the Iranian flag in crosshairs (Illustrative). (credit: Akbar Nemati/Unsplash, DAVID YAPHE)

It is still unclear whether the advanced weapons which were damaged are related only to conventional warfare or might have dual-use relevance also to nuclear issues, such as certain ballistic missiles or explosives equipment that can be used for both conventional and nuclear weapons purposes.

Isfahan has been used on and off for various nuclear issues as well as non-nuclear military issues.

Iran even at one point told the IAEA that some of the nuclear activities being carried out at the Karaj nuclear facility until June 2021 had been moved to Isfahan.