A senior US official says Israel has disabled Iranian missile defense systems

Israel disabled three of Russia’s S-300 missile defense systems last week retaliation against the Islamic Republic, Fox News has learned.

Israel carried out the strategic airstrike on October 26, marking a significant escalation in the conflict between the two countries during the operation’s chosen name, ‘Days of Repentance’. The attacks targeted critical military infrastructure and represented both a symbolic and tactical blow to Iran’s strategic capabilities following Tehran’s attack on Israel weeks earlier.

ISRAEL BEGINS RETALIATION ATTACKS AGAINST IRAN FOLLOWING A MISSILE REPORT TARGETING ISRAELS

Israeli Air Force planes take off for the attacks in Iran on October 26. (IDF Spokespersons Unit)

The Biden administration was informed in advance about Israel’s attack. The targets were chosen in an effort to send an accurate message to Iran and reduce its ability to launch ballistic missiles at Israel at short notice.

At the beginning of this year, Iran had only four S300 surface-to-air missile systems. In April, Israel disabled one of the missile systems in response to Iran’s first ballistic missile attack. A senior US official confirmed that the airstrikes disabled the three S-300 missile systems.

“Most of Iran’s air defenses were eliminated.” an elder Israeli official told Fox News.

On an internal call, President Biden’s Middle East adviser Amos Hochstein said that “Iran is essentially naked” and no longer has any missile defenses.

IT WAS ‘WORSE’ FOR ISRAEL NOT TO STITCH IRANIAN OIL AND NUCLEAR FACILITIES, SAYS FORMER USS COLE COMMANDER

A satellite image shows the Shahroud Missile Test site reportedly hit by Israel during its attack on Iran this weekend. (INTELLITIMES)

A satellite image shows the Sharoud Missile Test site reportedly hit by Israel during its attack on Iran this weekend. (INTELLITIMES)

Israeli warplanes also disabled several radar systems needed to guide the same ballistic missiles fired at Israel in April and on October 1 when Iran fired 181 missiles. ballistic missiles to the Jewish state. Many of the missiles were destroyed before reaching their targets, and others caused minimal damage, the Defense Ministry said.

Removing the radar systems will prevent Iran from firing these missiles in the future, a senior official said.

“Our message is very, very clear… ‘Any threat, anywhere, at any time, we will know how to reach it, we will know how to attack,’” said Israel’s Chief of General Staff Army, LTG Herzi Halevi.

Halevi emphasized that Israel has only deployed some of its capabilities, indicating that further measures could be taken if Iran escalates.

Minister of Defense Lloyd Austin has urged Iran not to respond to Israel’s attacks.

Israel began attacking Iranian targets in what is the largest attack on Iran by the Jewish state.

Iranian air defenses were reportedly active when Israel began attacking Iranian targets in Tehran. (Obtained by Fox News)

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“We believe this should be the end of this stuff,” Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said today during a meeting with reporters. “We do not think Iran should or should respond. On October 1, Iran launched the 200 ballistic missiles that targeted civilian population centers. Israel’s response was aimed at military targets.”

“We see this as a way to deviate,” she added.

Efrat Lachter of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.