The Israeli ImageSat International (ISI) intelligence firm has identified the compound in Iran rocked by an explosion on Sunday a clandestine missile base operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
By Erin Viner
Iran state TV cited an IRGC source on Sunday who claimed “a fire broke out” at one of the elite Revolutionary Guards’ “research centers” located “west of Tehran.” 3 people were said to have been injured, and that the blaze had been “contained.”
No reason was given for the incident. According to later statements, at least two IRGC members were killed and several others injured during the incident.
Satellite images released by ISI reveal that at least 25% of the alleged Iranian missile production facility was destroyed.
ImageSat identifies itself as a “professional commercial provider of superior, high-resolution satellite imaging services, obtained through operation of its high-resolution Earth Remote Observation Satellites (EROS A / B), provided to governments and their defense forces for national security and intelligence purposes.” The company says that the “various applications for EROS imagery include air, ground and naval forces and homeland security.”
The Islamic Republic has been rocked by multiple blasts, blazes and cyber attacks in recent years. Some of the incidents have been dismissed as work accidents, while others have been attributed to enemy acts.
Iranian officials announced that a 2 July 2020 fire that ignited a major explosion at its highly guarded Natanz nuclear facility was caused by sabotage. After initially claiming a problem with the electrical distribution grid had caused an incident at the same plant in April, Tehran accused Jerusalem of responsibility.
The Ayatollah regime also reportedly believes that Israel assassinated one of its top nuclear scientists with a ‘killer robot’ last November.