At Least 16 Israeli Pilots Killed in Iran’s Missile Strike in June: General
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A senior general said Iran fired more than 500 missiles that struck Israeli refineries, power plants, research centers and other infrastructure during the 12-day war in June, highlighting the wide damage and killing of at least 16 Israeli pilots in a single attack.
Addressing an event held in Qom on Monday in commemoration of the Sacred Defense Week, Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi -the top military adviser to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei- said the US and the Zionist regime failed to achieve their objectives in the war of aggression in June and were strategically defeated.
The Israeli regime, unable to sustain the campaign, was forced to ask the US to request a ceasefire, he said, describing it as proof of the strength of the resistance axis and of the Israeli regime’s incapacity in the face of that strength.
General Rahim Safavi noted that the Iranian missile barrage inflicted heavy damage across Haifa and other areas across the occupied territories, targeting refineries, power stations and research facilities of the Zionist regime.
He said one of the missile strikes on an Israeli pilot training center resulted in the deaths of at least 16 Israeli pilots, adding that the Zionist authorities have prevented publication of full details on casualties and material losses from the 12-day war.
Referring to eyewitness reporting from inside the occupied territories, the general said some Iranian missile impacts were so powerful they behaved “like an earthquake,” destroying an area with a radius of up to three kilometers.
Emphasizing the need to boost Iran’s defensive and offensive capabilities, the general said, “The best defense is offence. If we want peace we must be ready for war. A strong nation deters the enemy.”
He added that national strength must extend beyond military power to include internal resilience.
