Israeli Air Force jets struck and destroyed the aircraft used by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior Iranian officials, crippling military operations.
In a statement on March 16, the Israeli Air Force confirmed destroying a plane at Mehrabad Airport in Tehran used by Ali Khamenei, senior Iranian officials, and military personnel.
The aircraft was reportedly used to advance military procurement and to manage relations with Axis countries through domestic and international flights.
“The Air Force destroyed the plane of the leader of the Iranian terror regime at the “Mehrabad” airport in Tehran – the plane was used by Ali Khamenei, leader of the Iranian terror regime, additional senior officials from the terror regime, and elements in the Iranian military, to advance military procurement and manage relations with Axis countries through domestic and international flights,” the statement read in part.
Destruction of Iranian Plane Disrupts Military and International Operations
The Israeli army reported that the strike significantly disrupts the Iranian’s ability to coordinate between their leadership and allied countries, affecting military planning, power projection, and rehabilitation capabilities.
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Further, they stated that the destruction of this plane removes a key strategic asset from the Iranian regime, further weakening its operational and logistical capacity.
“The destruction of the plane impairs the ability to coordinate between the leadership of the Iranian terror regime and Axis countries, in building military power, and in the regime’s rehabilitation capability. Thus, another strategic asset has been removed from the Iranian regime,” Israeli noted
Israeli Airstrike Sets Aircraft Ablaze at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport
Early morning reports indicated that an Israeli airstrike struck Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran, setting multiple aircraft on fire across sections of the airport’s tarmac.
Fires and thick smoke were seen rising from several areas within the airport complex, as seen by The Kenya Times on the surfacing online videos suggesting significant damage.
Initial information indicated that both passenger and military planes were affected by the blasts.
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However, authorities had not yet identified the specific aircraft involved or confirmed their ownership at the time of the reports that morning.
Preliminary accounts pointed to extensive destruction within parts of the airport grounds as emergency response efforts continued.
Earlier Strikes
As earlier reported by The Times Of India, Israeli strikes hit Tehran on Saturday, as the conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States intensified, with explosions reported at the capital’s Mehrabad International Airport and other parts of the city.
Footage posted on social media showed strikes and large fires at Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport, with eyewitnesses reporting burning planes on the tarmac after explosions rocked one of the Iranian capital’s main commercial airports.
