Iranian ballistic missiles struck parts of an Israeli airbase hosting advanced F-35 fighter jets in the central-eastern part of the country, as confirmed by satellite images shared by Israeli media.
Although there is no indication of widespread damage, as was initially reported on social media, images captured by Planet Labs PBC and published by the Associated Press show damage to two aircraft hangars at the Nevatim Airbase in the Negev region.
New low resolution satellite imagery shows what appears to be 1 impact area from an Iranian missile strike on the Nevatim air base in southern Israel.
— Moshe Schwartz (@YWNReporter) April 14, 2024
Ignore the shadows from the few pesky clouds. pic.twitter.com/IDqdOYC5pM
Specifically, one of the hangars appears to have been completely destroyed, while the adjacent one sustained partial damage. The satellite images also reveal at least two craters formed by the missile strikes on the night of October 1. Verified videos of the attack show a barrage of missiles hitting the area in and around the airbase, according to Haaretz.
Despite the damage to the hangars, Israeli sources report that no fighter jets at the base were damaged. However, it remains unclear if any aircraft inside the hangars were hit by the attack.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged that their bases were hit but denied rumors of damage to fighter jets, drones, ammunition, or critical infrastructure. In a statement, the IDF mentioned that the missiles caused damage to “office buildings and other maintenance areas” on the bases and described the effects of the attack as “ineffective.”
After the attack, several social media users spread claims that at least 20 fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets were destroyed or damaged, but there is no evidence to support these claims.
Iran’s attack on Tuesday night
It should be noted that Iran launched about 180 ballistic missiles, including Fattah-2 hypersonic medium-range missiles, at several cities in Israel following Israel’s attacks on Hezbollah infrastructure and the assassination of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, along with other top officials.
Videos circulating on social media show missiles being intercepted by Israel’s defense systems, while others landed in various areas, such as near Mossad headquarters, a shopping center in Tel Aviv, a school, and close to the Tel Nof Airbase.
This attack has raised concerns about a wider regional conflict that could involve Israel and its allies, such as the U.S. and the U.K., against Iran and the “Axis of Resistance” – a network of militias funded and supported by Tehran.
