MP: Iran’s missile strike was limited, cautionary to Israel
By Sadeq Dehqan
Staff writer
An Iranian parliamentarian stated that Iran employed the minimum level of its offensive missile capability during its recent retaliatory operation against Israel, as the primary goal was “to caution the Zionist regime”.
On April 13, Iran launched extensive missile and drone strikes against Israel in response to its attack on the Iranian diplomatic premises in Syria on April 1, during which seven Iranian military advisors were killed. The “punishment” attack was also in response to Israel’s repeated aggression against Iran and the UN Security Council’s failure to hold the regime accountable for the April 1 attack.
In an exclusive interview with Iran Daily, Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi said the majority of the missiles and drones used in the operation were from the early generations of Iran’s military equipment. The intention behind this operation, he said, “was solely to issue a warning to the Zionist regime that if Iran intends to infiltrate Israel, neither their Iron Dome nor their regional and international allies will be able to stop Iran”.
He added that if the atrocities of Israel persist, the Islamic Republic may confront it with its next-generation weapons at any time. The member of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee said when several relatively unsophisticated missiles easily bypass Israel’s defensive barriers and inflict damage on the intended military zone, undoubtedly Iran’s hypersonic missiles and next-generation ballistic missiles can easily target any point within the occupied territories.
“However, our operations were carried out in a limited manner, and only bases that had attacked our consulate in Syria were targeted,” he emphasized.
“Our forces demonstrated the capability to conduct operations of high complexity and scope to overcome defensive barriers such as the Iron Dome as well as the fighter jets and air defense systems of NATO forces and Western countries supporting the Zionist regime.”
Jahanabadi expressed hope that “the Zionist regime receives the messages of this operation and pays attention to the core messages of the operation instead of falling prey to misunderstandings and propaganda.”
The lawmaker reiterated that the operation was solely in response to Israel’s attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, adding that, “If the Security Council had taken appropriate action following the attack and addressed the Zionist regime’s breach of international rules, Iran’s response might have differed”. Regarding the involvement of regional countries in tracking the drones and missiles used in the operation, he highlighted Jordan’s role, clarifying that no other regional country besides Jordan was involved in such an operation. He concluded that the matter has been investigated, and clear messages have been sent to Jordan and other concerned countries through diplomatic channels, expressing hope for resolution.