The Israeli military said on Monday its jets struck and destroyed a facility in Tehran used by Iran to develop capabilities for attacking satellites in space.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the site was used by the Iranian government to develop technologies that could target satellites, posing “a threat to the State of Israel’s satellites and to space assets of other countries around the world.”
Tehran has said its space programme is not pursuing any military objectives. But the programme is effectively controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, raising international doubts about those claims.
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The Israeli military accused Iran of investing “significant resources in developing its space warfare capabilities.”
The IDF said the targeted facility was also involved in developing the Chamran 1 satellite, which Iran launched into orbit in September 2024. Iran has said the satellite was intended for scientific research purposes.
The Islamic Republic has launched several satellites in recent years, saying the missions are designed to collect data on weather, natural disasters and agriculture.
Rows of destroyed seating are visible among the debris of the Azadi Sports Complex indoor arena in Tehran, following a wave of strikes by the United States and Israel that left the venue in destruction. Stringer/dpa