Satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press on Tuesday indicated that an Israeli attack on Iran likely damaged a facility operated by the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
The base is involved in constructing ballistic missiles and launching rockets as part of Iran’s space program.
The damage at the Shahroud base raises new questions regarding Israel’s early Saturday attack, as it targeted an area previously unacknowledged by Tehran and involved the Revolutionary Guard, a powerful entity within Iran’s theocratic structure.
Notably, the Guard has yet to comment on any potential damage sustained from the assault. Iran has only attributed Israeli attacks to the provinces of Ilam, Khuzestan, and Tehran, excluding rural Semnan province, where the Shahroud base is situated.
The attack may also further limit the Revolutionary Guard’s capacity to produce the solid-fuel ballistic missiles it relies on as a deterrent against Israel.
Tehran has long depended on this missile arsenal, as it lacks access to advanced Western weaponry, which Israel and Tehran’s Gulf Arab neighbors have acquired over the years, particularly from the United States.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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