Israel claims it now controls Iran's skies

Israel believes it has gained control of the skies over Iran and has warned that "Tehran will burn" if more missiles are fired at its territory. The escalation continued this Saturday, the day after Israel launched an unprecedented attack against the Iranian regime's nuclear facilities, military, and senior officials. Tel Aviv's objective goes far beyond halting Iran's nuclear program to preventing Tehran from developing atomic weapons. Air superiority

Israeli rhetoric also suggests that its leaders are convinced that in the first attack, they have gained a strategic advantage and have managed to dismantle Iranian air defenses and protect themselves from attacks. Israel claims it has gained complete air superiority, giving it freedom of action. "The air route to Tehran is practically open," a senior Israeli military official stated. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed confidence that "in the very near future" Israeli aircraft would be seen "over the skies of Tehran" and that its aircraft could "strike any target of the ayatollahs' regime anywhere."

Saturday's Israeli attack on two gas refineries in the port city of Kangan, in the world's largest natural gas field, which Iran shares with Qatar, and in the southern city of Bandar Abbas, is the clearest sign of the escalation. It is the first attack on Iran's oil and gas industry since the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, and could have serious economic and environmental consequences.

Iran remains defiant

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has maintained his defiant rhetoric, promising a "severer and more powerful response." In fact, as of press time, sirens were wailing again in Israel, and the government was urging the population to flee to shelters: Iran had launched another missile attack. The new commander of the Revolutionary Guard promised that his forces would "open the gates of hell" in Israel and threatened the United States, the United Kingdom, and France that their military bases and ships in the region would be converted if, as they claimed, they helped intercept missiles and drones launched from the region. The United States has not officially stated this, but senior officials have admitted to the press that they have already helped protect Israel from attacks. But carrying out that threat would be very risky for Tehran because it would draw Tel Aviv's allies into the conflict.

Likewise, Israel's air defenses have proven capable of minimizing the danger posed by Iranian missiles and drones. The death toll in Israel has risen to eleven since Friday, one of whom is a child.

Tehran has seen nine generals fall and the highest levels of the chain of command have been nearly eliminated. This Saturday, Israel claimed to have killed the head of intelligence for the armed forces, Gholam-Reza Marhabi, and the commander of the ballistic missile branch of the Revolutionary Guard, Mohamed Bagheri. The Israeli military maintains that it has attacked 150 targets in Iran since Friday. Iranian official media has admitted to the destruction of a fighter jet hangar at Tehran's Mehrabad airfield. Iranian state television has claimed that some 60 people, including 20 children, were killed Friday in an attack on a residential building in Tehran, and the official total is 78 dead and nearly 400 wounded.