INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
They are believed to be capable of penetrating underground facilities, tunnels, and complexes
But as Iranian defense systems downed projectiles mirroring the features of a hostile bunker buster on Tuesday, the event seemed
surprisingly routine.The projectiles were intercepted over Iran's nuclear facilities, including Natanz, in central Esfahan province during
ongoing nationwide drills scheduled to last several weeks
While the downing of bunker busters this week received significant media attention, security and defense analyst Mohammad Shaltouki says it
is not a new development."Having followed Iran's military exercises for years as a journalist and analyst," he stated to the Tehran Times,
"I can confirm that Iran has routinely practiced intercepting potential weapons, including bunker busters, aimed at it for several years
Beyond intercepting bunker busters, Iran has also long practiced downing the aircraft that deploy them."The media attention given to what
appears to be a routine military exercise is likely a consequence of recent Western and Israeli media reports speculating about the incoming
Trump administration's plans for potential strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities
These reports were compounded by a story from Axios which suggested that National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan recently outlined potential
United States strike options on Iranian nuclear sites for President Biden, in the event Tehran moves towards developing nuclear weapons
before Trump's inauguration later this month.Threats of attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities are not new
They have been lobbed at Iran across several consecutive United States administrations, particularly during President Barack Obama's
presidency when he intensified the threat before the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)
However, since Iran increased its nuclear activities after Donald Trump's withdrawal from the deal in 2018, these threats have gradually
longest-serving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
But the wanted criminal did not, or could not, strike his ultimate dream targets in October when Washington helped it launch airstrikes
against Iran in response to two Iranian operations hitting Israeli military sites in 2024.The attacks took the lives of four Iranian
soldiers serving in the country's defense forces
For the Iranian public, who spent the night hearing their defense system intercept Israeli missiles launched from Iraqi airspace, the
aftermath of the attack was not apparent
There was no footage of successful strikes, and no visible damage on the ground, unlike the observable impact of Iranian attacks on Israel
Tuesday's military drill was also significant in that it debunked Israeli claims of significantly harming Iran's defense
capabilities.During the exercise, Iranian forces employed indigenous air defense systems including the low-altitude Dezful anti-cruise
missile and drone system, the high-altitude Sevom Khordad, and the newly revealed 358 missiles
Shaltouki believes the 358 is a masterpiece of Iranian engineering
systems deployed during the drill are impressive, they are not the best Iran has
