Kiwanda kimekwisha so lazima waongeze pesa China wamepandisha bei mara dufu mtambo wa kuzalisha mafuta ya rocket. ile mikwala ya kupeleka Ngedere Mwezini ndio hamna tena
This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows a damaged large building at the Islamic Revolutionary Guard's Shahroud Space Center in Semnan province, Iran, Tuesday October 29, 2024. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Israel’s retaliatory attack on Iran likely damaged a base run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for ballistic missile construction, and for rocket launches as part of its space program, satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press on Tuesday showed.
The damage at the base in Shahroud raises new questions about Israel’s attack early Saturday — which was a response to an Iranian barrage of some 200 ballistic missiles earlier this month — particularly as it took place in an area previously unacknowledged by Tehran and involved the IRGC, a paramilitary force that so far has remained silent about any possible damage it suffered from the assault.
Iran only has identified Israeli attacks as taking place in Ilam, Khuzestan and Tehran provinces — not in rural Semnan province where the base is located.
Shahroud Space Center in Semnan province, Iran, Tuesday October 29, 2024. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Israel’s retaliatory attack on Iran likely damaged a base run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for ballistic missile construction, and for rocket launches as part of its space program, satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press on Tuesday showed.
The damage at the base in Shahroud raises new questions about Israel’s attack early Saturday — which was a response to an Iranian barrage of some 200 ballistic missiles earlier this month — particularly as it took place in an area previously unacknowledged by Tehran and involved the IRGC, a paramilitary force that so far has remained silent about any possible damage it suffered from the assault.
Iran only has identified Israeli attacks as taking place in Ilam, Khuzestan and Tehran provinces — not in rural Semnan province where the base is located.
It also potentially further restrains the IRGCs ability to manufacture the solid-fuel ballistic missiles it stockpiles, which it has used against Israel in its two direct attacks, in April and in October.
Satellite photos earlier analyzed by the AP of two military bases near Tehran also targeted by Israel show that sites there that Iran uses in its ballistic missile manufacturing have been destroyed, further squeezing its heavily sanctioned program.
“We don’t know if Iranian production has been crippled as some people are saying or just damaged,” said Fabian Hinz, a missile expert and research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies who studies Iran. “We’ve seen enough imagery to show there’s an impact.”
Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Israeli military declined to answer questions from the AP, but sent a previous statement acknowledging it targeted “missile manufacturing facilities” in the attack.
Images show major building at Shahroud base destroyed
High-resolution satellite images from Planet Labs PBC taken for and analyzed by the AP showed the damage at the Guard’s Shahroud Space Center in Semnan, some 370 kilometers (230 miles) northeast of the Iranian capital, Tehran. Semnan also hosts the Imam Khomeini Space Center, which is used by Iran’s civilian space program.
This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows a damaged buildings at the Revolutionary Guard’s Shahroud Space Center in Semnan province, Iran, Tuesday Oct. 29, 2024. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)
The images showed a central, major building at the Shahroud Space Center had been destroyed, and the shadow of its still-standing frame could be seen in the image taken Tuesday morning. Vehicles could be seen gathered around the site, likely belonging to officials inspecting the damage, with more cars than normal parked at the site’s main gate nearby.
Three small buildings just to the south of the main structure also appeared to be damaged. Iran has been constructing new buildings at the base in recent months. Another hangar to the northeast of the main building also appeared to have been damaged.
This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows a large building at the Revolutionary Guard’s Shahroud Space Center in Semnan province, Iran, March 19, 2024. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)
Iran has not acknowledged any attack at Shahroud. However, given the damage done to multiple structures, it suggested the Israeli attack included pinpoint strikes on the base. Low-resolution images since the attack showed signs of damage at the site not seen before the assault — further pointing to Israeli missile strikes as being responsible.
“We can’t 100% exclude the possibility it’s something else, but it’s almost certain this building got damaged because of an Israeli attack,” Hinz said.
The large building had been surrounded by earthen berms, suggesting that it handled high explosives, said Hinz, who long has studied the site. That central site likely deals with solid propellant mixing and casting operations, he added.
Large boxes next to the building are likely to be missile motor crates as well, Hinz said. Their sizes suggest they could be used for Iran’s Kheibar Shekan ballistic missile and the Fattah 1, a missile that Iran has claimed is able to reach Mach 15 — 15 times the speed of sound. Both have been used in Iran’s attacks on Israel, first in April and again in October.