Israeli fighter jets that carried out the first strikes inside Iran during Operation Roaring Lion operated under severe risk conditions because Iranian air defenses had already been partly restored, a senior Israel Air Force officer told Walla on Monday.

“The planes that entered Iran first were at very high risk. I was there. I led the people from the air. The pilots took this risk out of a deep understanding that we would be able to attack a surface-to-surface missile squadron that could hit Israel and its citizens,” the officer said.

He said the opening stage of the operation focused on destroying an Iranian surface-to-surface missile formation capable of targeting Israeli population centers.