TZVI JOFFRE
Explosions were reported west of Tehran on Thursday night, with some initial reports claiming that the explosions occurred at a missile depot belonging to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
Power outages were reported in the area after the explosions were heard, according to initial reports.
Leila Vaseghi, governor of Quds, told Iranian media that no explosion had occurred in the area and that there had only been a five minute power outage in a small area.
Along with the denial of the explosion, Iranian media reported that the mayor of Garmdareh had stated that the explosion was caused by gas tanks, but it was later discovered that the quoted mayor had died over a year ago and that the quoted news was from years ago, according to the Independent Persian. Iranian media had also reported that a security official in the region had attributed the explosion to highway construction, but it was later discovered that the quoted news was from over two years ago.
Al-Arabiya reported that the explosions occurred in missile depots belonging to the IRGC southwest of Tehran.
Multiple attacks on Iran by unseen adversary send clear warning to regime
JPOST EDITORIAL
Three weeks ago a paper written by the staff at Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya’s Institute for Policy and Strategy argued that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s focus on extending Israeli sovereignty to parts of the West Bank was deflecting his attention and that of the world from Israel’s main threat: Iran.
According to the paper, not only did the incessant chatter about the possibility of annexation mean that the world was focusing on Israel rather than Iran, but the annexation issue led Netanyahu to take his eye off the Iranian ball, and this at a particularly inopportune moment: as Iran continues to test how far the world will let it go beyond the limits of the 2015 nuclear agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and as the UN is scheduled to consider lifting an arms embargo on the Islamic Republic in October.
All that was written three weeks ago. Less than two weeks ago, however, something dramatic changed: on June 26 an explosion rocked a facility that produces liquid fuel for ballistic missiles near Tehran, and another massive fire erupted in Shiraz. These were the first of a series of six fires, explosions and chemical mishaps since then, including at a medical clinic in Tehran, the Natanz nuclear site, a power plant in Ahvaz, and at a petrochemical plant in Mahshahr.
These actions inside Iran send a strong message to the Islamic Republic – already reeling from the coronavirus, crippling US sanctions, a deep economic crisis and domestic foment – that it is vulnerable, that its most sensitive facilities can be reached and penetrated, and that facilities suspected of being used to further its nuclear and ballistic missile program can be severely damaged.
Iran has many proxies doing its dirty work around the region and the world, but whoever planned, green-lighted and carried out what look like premeditated attacks against key Iranian infrastructure has decided the time was right to go for the head of the octopus, and not suffice with hitting one of its many tentacles abroad.
Why now? There are a number of possible reasons. It could be connected to accelerated work the Iranians are doing on their nuclear program, justifying their violations of the JCPOA by saying that the US withdrew from the accord, and the Europeans have not done enough to bypass the American sanctions.
Whoever is behind the recent attacks in Iran seems to be working on the assumption that – at least for the time being – Iran’s hands are tied. A clear signal is also being sent that even with all the other dangers currently facing humanity, to allow the Iranians to march forward with their nuclear ambitions would be utter folly that would make the current threats facing the world seem minor in comparison.
How have Iran's intelligence forces broken down in face of explosions?
YONAH JEREMY BOB
With another explosion on Thursday night, reportedly at an Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps facility, the question is not only how anyone has pulled up to seven attacks off in around two weeks, but how has the Islamic Republic repeatedly failed to stop them.
What the world is witnessing right now is someone (the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, possibly with Iranian dissident proxy help) hitting Iranian nuclear and conventional weapons and IRGC facilities practically at will. And they are doing it in a way that has virtually never been witnessed in recent memory.
The IRGC has had more than two weeks to root out the cell or cells that are making this happen and has gotten nowhere.
Former cyber intelligence officials from the US and Israel have talked to The Jerusalem Post about the power of potential cyber-attacks on Iran.
To the extent that these are cyber-attacks, it might be more understandable that Tehran has caught no one and stopped nothing explosions perpetrated through a cyber-attack could have been pre-planted months or even years ago to be set off now.
To the extent that these are cyber-attacks, it might be more understandable that Tehran has caught no one and stopped nothing explosions perpetrated through a cyber-attack could have been pre-planted months or even years ago to be set off now.
However, what we appear to be witnessing are the limits of a second-tier counterintelligence force. Up against a premier intelligence or cyber power, Iran is apparently near defenseless.
The questions remaining then are how long these attacks can continue and whether Iran can cope with them or may make some sort of secret contact to cut a deal to get them stopped.
Explosion reported in Tehran, latest in series of blasts in Iran
Iranian media reported an explosion in western Tehran in the early hours of Friday morning.
Iran’s official IRIB news agency reported the blast, citing online reports of residents hearing the sound of the explosion in the city.
Some areas of Tehran experienced power outages after the blast, the report said.The explosion came after a series of mysterious disasters have struck sensitive Iranian sites in recent weeks, leading to speculation that the incidents could be the result of a sabotage campaign engineered by Israel.
On Tuesday, an explosion reportedly damaged a factory south of Tehran. According to Iranian media reports, two people were killed and three were injured in the blast at the Sepahan Bresh factory in the Kahrizak district.
The area’s governor said human error was to blame for the incident.
An explosion reportedly damaged a power plant in the Iranian city of Ahvaz on Saturday. A few hours later, the Islamic Republic News Agency said a chlorine gas leak at a petrochemical center in southeast Iran sickened 70 workers.
On July 2 an explosion damaged Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility, and a week before that, a large blast was felt in Tehran, apparently caused by an explosion at the Parchin military complex, which defense analysts believe holds an underground tunnel system and missile production facilities.
An Israeli TV report Friday night said that Israel was bracing for a possible retaliation from Iran if it determines that Jerusalem was behind the explosion.
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