TEHRAN: Iran has replaced the air defence systems damaged during its 12-day war with Israel last month, a senior army general said on Sunday according to state media.
Israel launched an unprecedented surprise bombing campaign against Iran in mid-June, prompting Tehran to respond with drone and missile attacks.
Israel’s strikes dealt a significant blow to the Islamic republic’s air defences, which were repeatedly activated in the capital Tehran and across the country throughout the war.
“The Zionist enemy sought to destroy Iran’s defense capabilities, and some of our defense systems were damaged in that war,” army operations chief Mahmoud Mousavi was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency.
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“The damaged defence systems have now been replaced,” he added.
Iran’s air defence network includes systems like the domestically built Bavar-373 and Khordad-15, designed to counter missiles and aircraft. Iran also installed Russia’s S-300 air defense systems in 2016.
The war with Israel killed more than 1,000 people in Iran, while Iranian fire killed at least 28 people in Israel, according to authorities in each country.
Israel’s attacks targeted military infrastructure and nuclear facilities across Iran.
On June 22, Israel’s ally the United States also carried out unprecedented strikes on Iranian nuclear sites at Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz.
The full extent of the damage to Iran’s nuclear programme remains unclear.
US President Donald Trump has insisted the sites were “completely destroyed”, but US media reports have cast doubt on the severity of the damage.
On Friday, NBC News, citing a military damage assessment, reported that only one of the three sites was mostly destroyed.
A ceasefire between Iran and Israel has been in effect since June 24.
After the truce was announced, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to prevent Iran from rebuilding its nuclear capabilities, raising the prospect of renewed conflict.
Earlier in July, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel was formulating a plan to “ensure that Iran cannot threaten Israel again.”
Katz said the military had to maintain its “air superiority over Tehran, the ability to enforce restrictions on Iran and prevent it from rebuilding its capabilities”.
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