Israel claims destruction of 30% of Iran's missile launchers

As the conflict between Israel and Iran entered its fourth day, the Israeli military claimed to have destroyed nearly one-third of Iran’s surface-to-surface missile launchers in a series of intensive air strikes.

According to Israeli military spokesperson Brigadier-General Effie Defrin, more than 50 fighter jets and aircraft carried out coordinated attacks, targeting and destroying over 120 missile launchers across Iran.

“This amounts to one-third of the surface-to-surface missile launchers possessed by the Iranian regime,” Defrin said during a televised briefing.

He further stated that after sustained strikes on Iran’s air defence systems, Israeli aircraft now control the skies over much of the country. “We have achieved full air supremacy in the Tehran airspace,” he declared.

The development marks a significant escalation in the conflict.

On the other hand, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has clarified that Israel does not intend to intentionally target civilians in Tehran, softening the more aggressive remarks he made previously.

“I would like to clarify the obvious: there is no intention to physically harm the residents of Tehran as the murderous dictator does to the residents of Israel,” Katz said in a statement on X.

"The residents of Tehran will have to pay the price of dictatorship and evacuate their homes from areas where it will be necessary to attack regime targets and security infrastructures in Tehran," he said.

Earlier, Katz had warned that residents of Iran’s capital would “face consequences, and soon” in response to Iran’s deadly retaliatory attacks on Israel.