TEHRAN — A senior Air Force commander said if the Zionist regime of Israel dares to launch an air attack, Iran will strongly retaliate.
Speaking to Fars News Agency on Wednesday, Brigadier General Mohammad Alavi, Army’s deputy Air Force commander for operations, rejected allegations by Zionists that Iran cannot do anything if Israel hits Iran with cruise missiles.
“Our armed forces are well-prepared to give a crushing response to Israel if it launches missiles against Iran,“ he said.
Brigadier Alavi noted that the Zionist regime knows very well how Iran will hit back, if it dares to attack.
“Israel is in range of all Iranian missiles. We can also attack Israel by our jet fighters. We will not let Israel do a damn thing as easily as it does its propaganda,“ he said.
Also on Wednesday, Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said several key projects of his ministry will be inaugurated during the Defense Week (Sept. 22-28).
Najjar noted that two next generation Azarakhsh and Saeqeh jet fighters will officially join the Iranian Air Force fleet on September 22, ISNA reported.
Commenting on the new projects, Najjar referred to the manufacture of flexible fuel tanks for different kinds of helicopters by the researchers of Malek Ashtar University of Technology.
“Experts of the Defense Ministry have completed such a project for the first time in the Middle East,“ he said.
The minister said an advanced three-dimensional sonar is the second project that will also be inaugurated during the Defense Week.
Commenting on recent statements of US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates who said Iran’s nuclear case can only be resolved through diplomatic and economic means, the defense minister said he also believes that the best option for resolving Iran’s nuclear case is through diplomacy and within the framework of agreements reached with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Najjar, however, noted that imposing economic sanctions on Iran will be ineffective.
“It seems that the incumbent US secretary of defense, Robert Gates, is more realistic than former defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld,“ he said.
Saker Message:
Saker,
How much damage could Iranian missiles actually do? Could they overcome Arrow or Patriot anti-missile defenses? I recall in the interview with the IRGC commander he claimed accuracy within 30 meters. Presumably (if that’s indeed true) that would make them more effective than the scuds Iraq fired in 1991.
Also, do you think Israel would go nuclear, or threaten to do so to cow any Iranian response?
Thanx
lysander, may I refer you to an article of mine on this issue: http://vineyardsaker.blogspot.com/2007/07/irans-asymmetrical-response-options.html
I would add that I do not think that Israel will be a target for Iranian missile in case of a US attack. How the Iranian missiles would do against an Arrow or Patriot is anyone’s guess, but considering the terminal velocities involved with that kind of missile I would not want to rely on either Arrows or Patriots. The Iraqi Scuds were even less accurate that the original Soviet models (though with a longer range as a trade-off) whereas the Shahabs are designed from the beginning with higher accuracy and range requirements. Some of them also seem to have terminal guidance capabilities. Even PAC-3 Patriots or Arrows will have one heck of a hard time trying to get the Shahabs, though since I have no access to any classified sources your guess is as good as mine.
I do not think that Israel will use nukes in case of attack or retaliation by Iran. But then, when I look at how totally stupid Olmert and his generals have shown themselves to be last summer I would not put any idiocy totally past these guys.
Sorry for the lack of a better response.
Cheers!