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Israeli strikes on Iran (2024, 2025, etc.)

IDF claims over 200 launchers destroyed so far. Early estimates were that 120 made up a third of the total over all, so Iran might have had roughly ~360 to start.



Iranian command structure continues to crumble.



Loyalty is about to get tested if the money isn't flowing. Sepah Bank is responsible for paying the salaries of the Iranian police, army and Revolutionary Guard.

 
Bombing orgs responsible for keeping folks under the boss’s thumb? Check.

Piss people off even more to, hypothetically, get them to push for governance reform? Check …

More signs, the Police & Basij HQ in Kashan has apparently been attacked.

~200km south of Tehran.

 
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Lots of continued tanker traffic today from points in Europe continuing east to the Middle East. Some are at fueling altitude and there’s photo of at least one tanker over Italy towing F-35s.

Last night I saw a tanker doing racetrack laps at 25,000 northeast of Langley AFB.poked about right for F-22s out of Langley to take off, make altitude, top up, and carry on.

Loots like a heavy shifting of tactical aircraft and their supports east.
 
I have to wonder if some of the more "Centralists" and politicians focused on Iran and not foreign adventures might make a move with the army support to take over the reigns of power? The IRGC is weakened, but the army is mostly intact. With 50,000 of the 70,000 mosques now closed due to lack of attendance, the IRGC and Clerics, may not have the manpower to stop them. It would still be an Islamic theological government, but not quite as extreme.
 
Should the Regime collapse, I am curious as to what this means for Russian ambitions in the region. They have already lost Syria (mostly), that left Iran as their key regional 'partner' to play with. Would this also impact Russian drone supply, or has that all moved to Russia now?
 
Should the Regime collapse, I am curious as to what this means for Russian ambitions in the region. They have already lost Syria (mostly), that left Iran as their key regional 'partner' to play with. Would this also impact Russian drone supply, or has that all moved to Russia now?
Certainly won’t help BRICS…
 
Maybe this is all just to slap them back a decade in development of their weapons program...

But, if this turns out to be a decapitation mission/regime change, I wonder what the long term objectives are:

  • destroy the Iranian leadership and let Iranians sort it out themselves
  • destroy the Iranian leadership and "nation build" with the "whole of government" approach
  • destroy the Iranian leadership and provide SOF/Air Spt assistance to the chosen faction

I'd guess it will be the third option.
 
Maybe this is all just to slap them back a decade in development of their weapons program...

But, if this turns out to be a decapitation mission/regime change, I wonder what the long term objectives are:

  • destroy the Iranian leadership and let Iranians sort it out themselves
  • destroy the Iranian leadership and "nation build" with the "whole of government" approach
  • destroy the Iranian leadership and provide SOF/Air Spt assistance to the chosen faction

I'd guess it will be the third option.
<hopeful sarcasm>I'm sure someone somewhere is sorting out how to rebuild society after they bomb the ever loving shit out of it to get regime change/nukes out of commission, right? So they don't go south again and bite those who help get rid of the bad guys in the ass? They did learn from Afghanistan and Iraq, right? Not to mention Europe preparing for all the refugees about to be headed that way, right?</hopeful sarcasm>

Meanwhile, key takeaways from the latest (1800E info cut off last night) from ISW:
  • "Iran has reportedly maintained its uncompromising position regarding nuclear talks, meaning that it is not yet ready to negotiate an end to the war with Israel. Other reports have indicated that Iran may grant concessions if it is allowed to fully retaliate against Israel.
  • The United States is deploying additional forces to the Middle East to “provide options to defend US assets and interests.” These forces include a carrier strike group and a high number of refueling tanker aircraft.
  • The IAEA indicated that Israeli strikes have likely damaged or destroyed thousands of centrifuges at the Natanz nuclear site. The Fordow site remains largely unscathed, however, according to the IAEA.
  • The Iranian capacity to conduct missile operations is likely degraded. The IDF has likely destroyed around a third of the Iranian missile launchers. Iran has also used between a third and a half of its missiles that can reach Israel.
  • The IDF struck the IRIB headquarters in Iran likely to degrade the Iranian capacity to produce propaganda and shape the information environment. This came after the IDF began striking other regime institutions and energy infrastructure."
 
Should the Regime collapse, I am curious as to what this means for Russian ambitions in the region. They have already lost Syria (mostly), that left Iran as their key regional 'partner' to play with. Would this also impact Russian drone supply, or has that all moved to Russia now?
You're not alone in pondering that one, for sure.

Aaaaaand lesson learned from the Hezbollah hip bombing fracas ....
 
Should the Regime collapse, I am curious as to what this means for Russian ambitions in the region. They have already lost Syria (mostly), that left Iran as their key regional 'partner' to play with.
Well I think it has shown what a Russian security guarantee means.
(Just as much as an American or British one…)

Would this also impact Russian drone supply, or has that all moved to Russia now?

Well best OS stuff seems to suggest around 50/50 and Ukraine has also hit several Russian UAS manufacturing centers so I suspect it will hurt.

As well Russia was apparently getting some Missiles and Rockets from Iran as well as NK.

Worst case scenario is it degrades Russia a bit - but IMHO it will also stir up the 🇬🇪 as well as the Stan’s as they can see that Russia isn’t in a position to support a lot of it’s allies.

But Israel clearly gave Russia a giant middle finger here (given the whole Russian Mutual Defense Pact with Iran) and the question is: given Israeli earlier efforts to straddle the fence with Russia and Ukraine what could this mean for Israeli and Ukrainian cooperation from this point.
 
<hopeful sarcasm>I'm sure someone somewhere is sorting out how to rebuild society after they bomb the ever loving shit out of it to get regime change/nukes out of commission, right? So they don't go south again and bite those who help get rid of the bad guys in the ass? They did learn from Afghanistan and Iraq, right? Not to mention Europe preparing for all the refugees about to be headed that way, right?</hopeful sarcasm>

Meanwhile, key takeaways from the latest (1800E info cut off last night) from ISW:
  • "Iran has reportedly maintained its uncompromising position regarding nuclear talks, meaning that it is not yet ready to negotiate an end to the war with Israel. Other reports have indicated that Iran may grant concessions if it is allowed to fully retaliate against Israel.
  • The United States is deploying additional forces to the Middle East to “provide options to defend US assets and interests.” These forces include a carrier strike group and a high number of refueling tanker aircraft.
  • The IAEA indicated that Israeli strikes have likely damaged or destroyed thousands of centrifuges at the Natanz nuclear site. The Fordow site remains largely unscathed, however, according to the IAEA.
  • The Iranian capacity to conduct missile operations is likely degraded. The IDF has likely destroyed around a third of the Iranian missile launchers. Iran has also used between a third and a half of its missiles that can reach Israel.
  • The IDF struck the IRIB headquarters in Iran likely to degrade the Iranian capacity to produce propaganda and shape the information environment. This came after the IDF began striking other regime institutions and energy infrastructure."
Iran already has the nutbars running the zoo, the hope is that the IRGC and Clerics will be weakened enough for a more centralist government to grab power, likley with the Army and people backing them. The only reason the IRGC/Cleric have not been pushed from power already is they controlled to much. Now that all of their foreign adventures have failed and lack of abilty to confront Israel is evident, they will lose the abilty to block reformists. I don't expect a fully democratic government, but a shift into one that is more domestically focused at rebuilding the country and reducing sanctions. No one is invading Iran, that adventure would dwarf the invasion of Iraq.
 
More calm, sober, and deliberate diplomacy from Trump as this situation continues to develop.
Trump legitimately sounds scary. Unhinged too.

At this point, I wouldn't put anything past him. He should take a social media break and definitely STFU about his deals.

It looks like Israel decided to launch on Iran and Trump is scrambling to take credit.
 
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