Before Israel launched its retaliatory strike against Iran on Saturday, the IAF carried out a mission to deactivate radar systems to prevent Iran from intercepting strikes, KAN reported on Monday.

During Israel’s strike, it was apparent that radar detection within Iran’s defense system was damaged and screens froze.

With the deactivation of radar systems, the IAF was able to penetrate airspace more deeply since Iran’s ability to respond was greatly impaired.

Israel carried out preliminary strikes on Iran’s radar targets located in Syria to “blind” Iran’s capabilities.

Combined with the preliminary radar strikes in Syria, Israel’s operation on Saturday involved 100 aircraft covering over 2,000 kilometers.

Iran military officials confirmed that Israel used “very light warheads” to strike radar systems in Ilam, Khuzestan, and around Tehran.

Israel struck within Iran in retaliation for 180 missiles the Islamic Republic launched into Israel in early October.

Although largely downplaying Israel’s strike, Iranian media reported that four soldiers were killed.

Sources quoted in the Persian-language British "Independent" claimed that 26 people were killed, contrary to the official statement in Iran: "The radar screens were hacked and froze about five minutes before the first wave of attack. The Israeli planes were not detected." 

Two Iranian officials, one a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), reported that Israel struck the S-300 air defense of Imam Khomeini International Airport that provides defense for areas in Tehran.

In addition, at least three IRGC missile bases were hit, and Israeli drones targeted the secretive Parchin military base on the outskirts of Tehran, with one drone hitting the base and the others intercepted.

Israel has insisted that nuclear activities are being carried out at Parchin, and the UN’s IAEA nuclear watchdog in 2016 reportedly found evidence confirming this suspicion.

The IDF destroyed Iran’s most advanced anti-missile systems among the air defenses it hit in its overnight air attack Saturday, leaving several major energy sites, a missile base, a port, and Tehran’s airport defenseless, The New York Times reported Sunday.

The paper, citing unnamed Israeli officials, said that three S-300 systems supplied by Russia and other radar systems were “severely damaged and rendered inoperative.”

PHOTO: Use according to Section 27 A