Iranian ballistic missile site hit by drone attack: report

The Shahid Hemmat facility “is considered one of the most important military industrial complexes in Iran.”

By David Hellerman, World Israel News

An Iranian ballistic missile facility was hit in a drone strike, sparking a massive explosion on Friday night, according to an Arab media report.

The Kuwaiti tabloid Al Qabas reported on Sunday that the blast took place at the Shahid Hemmat base in western Tehran. The base is an Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp research and development site which, according to the paper, “is considered one of the most important military industrial complexes in Iran.”

A source quoted by the paper claimed that the drones that struck the base were apparently launched from roughly 10 km (6.2 miles) away from the IRGC complex. Iranian officials believe that the drones used had been smuggled into the country in pieces and assembled within Iran.

Iran has not yet confirmed the incident.

Iranian Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Amir Hatami visited the Shahid Hemmat facility to assess the damage.

Al Qabas further reported that while the Iranian Air Force was placed on high alert, one of its F-14s crashed at the Isfahan Air Base in central the center of the country. The crash was attributed to engine failure and the pilot and co-pilot safely ejected.

An explosion and fire broke out under mysterious circumstances at the same base in October 2021.

Israel is widely believed to  be responsible for a series of attacks on workers in Iran’s military and nuclear programs.

Tensions between Jerusalem and Tehran soared as Israel warned is citizens in Turkey to leave following “concrete” threats by Iran to kill or kidnap Israelis. Channel 12 reported on Saturday that Israeli and Turkish intelligence foiled at least one attack during the weekend and several others in recent days.

Over the past several weeks, two workers in the IRGC Aerospace Force were killed and a senior Quds Force officer was assassinated in broad daylight outside his home in Tehran.

Israel accused the IRGC of smuggling missile components on civilian flights landing in Damascus, prompting an air strike on Damascus International Airport widely attributed to Israel. Israel’s Kan News reported that the smuggled components were intended to convert conventional missiles into precision weapons.