Masterchief117
I'm all about the doom
For a Deathburger!
ALERT Regional middleast war thread Israel and Iran at war
- Thread starter danielboon
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Countrymouse
Country exile in the city
Countrymouse
Country exile in the city
Excellent and thorough report, Northern Watch! Thank you! (despite Tyler's rather pejorative title)Markets Dump Then Rebound As Israel Retaliates To Iran In Oddly Toothless, Performative Response
BY TYLER DURDEN
ZERO HEDGE
THURSDAY, APR 18, 2024 - 09:25 PM
SUMMARY:
- Iran says its nuclear facilities remain unharmed: Reuters
- Situation in Iran's Isfahan is normal, no explosion taken place on ground: PressTV
- CNN: Two US oficials say Israel indicated they would not attack nuclear targets. US didn't "green light" this attack.
- Unconfirmed: IRGC states that Iran will target Israeli nuclear sites with counterattack.
- Iran Space Agency: "all that happened is a failed and humiliating attempt by Israel aviation" - via Sky News
- Iranian officials and outlets are claiming that all explosions heard tonight are due to interceptions and that no explosions have occurred "on the ground"
- Bloomberg: Israeli officials notified the US earlier today they planned to retaliate in the next 24-48 hours.
- Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA) tells passengers that all flights have been canceled and they should exit the airport.
- Fox News: Israeli strikes in Iran came from unmanned aircraft
- US claims IDF attacks in Iran were limited.
- Three large explosions heard in Isfahan south of Tehran, US officials confirm.
- The Natanz nuclear facility is located in Isfahan.
- Unconfirmed simultaneous explosions have also been reported in Syria and Iraq (Baghdad and Babil/Babylon province).
- Iran has established a no-fly-zone over its western region.
- Market reaction: initial panic selling, but gradually as it becomes clear that this is just a token "scripted" response to the token "scripted" initial attack by Iran - which achieved absolutely nothing - markets are rebounding.
Israel - having once again ignored Biden's pleadings not to escalate the already tense situation - is retaliating against Iran's weekend strike, which was itself a retaliation against Israel bombing Iran's embassy in Syria on April 1.
Moments ago futures dumped, oil prices spiked, and treasury yields slumped amid social media reports and Reuters headlines that there have been three "huge explosions" near the central Iran cities of Natanz (location of an Iranian nuclear power plant) and Isfahan (location of the Iranian Nuclear Technology Center which is suspected of being the center of Iran's nuclear weapons program), as well as simultaneous explosions in Iraq and Syria, where the Israel air force appears to be targeting pro-Iranian militias.
Some more reports:
- IRANIAN MEDIA CONFIRMS AN ISRAELI ATTACK ON IRANIAN TERRITORY
- IRANIAN STATE MEDIA IS REPORTING THAT TONIGHT’S AIRSTRIKE BY THE ISRAEL AIR FORCE MAY HAVE TARGETED THE 8TH TACTICAL AIRBASE OF THE IRANIAN AIR FORCE, WITHIN ISFAHAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, WHICH CONTAINS MULTIPLE SQUADRONS OF F-14 “TOMCAT” FIGHTER AIRCRAFT.
- ABC NEWS REPORTS THAT ISRAELI MISSILES HIT A SITE IN IRAN
- IRAN STATE MEDIA SAYS 'NO FLY ZONE' ESTABLISHED OVER WESTERN REGION
- IRANIAN MEDIA: 3 HUGE EXPLOSIONS WERE HEARD IN ISFAHAN, SOUTH OF TEHRAN
- JERUSALEM POST: SIMULTANEOUS EXPLOSIONS REPORTED IN IRAN, SYRIA, AND IRAQ ACCORDING TO INITIAL REPORTS
- IRAN'S FARS NEWS AGENCY SAYS EXPLOSIONS HEARD IN CENTRAL ISFAHAN AIRPORT, REASON UNKNOWN
- ISRAELI MISSILES HIT IRAN SITE, US OFFICIAL SAYS: ABC
Here is Marco Rubio telling us more or less what happened:
A video of the explosions in Iran:
There have also been reports of drone activity over Iraq:
Flights above central Iran are diverting from their designations:
... as the airspace over the region is rapidly clearing:
Unconfirmed reports suggest that the Israeli airstrikes are targeting a building where a high level meeting was being held among groups supported by Iran and the IRGC:
The market reaction has been immediate, with S&P futures dumping initially but then, as speculation grows that this is another measured, scripted response to the measured, scripted initial attack by Iran, the market is starting to normalize fast.
... with oil initially surging, then dropping.
... and gold also first surged above $2400, only to slide right back...
... with Silver fading all the gains...
...and Treasuries are aggressively bid but they too are now fading.
Even as the Bitcoin algos reprice WW3... for the second time in 5 days.
And as traders brace for the worst, because even if Israel hopes to present a "measured" retaliation now it's a question of what Iran will do next, it once again appears that this was just the latest episode in the carefully scripted middle-eastern "war" soap opera.
More as we get it, until then, fear not: he is watching everything... closely.
Markets Dump Then Rebound As Israel Retaliates To Iran In Oddly Toothless, Performative Response | ZeroHedge
ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zerowww.zerohedge.com
Last edited:
Countrymouse
Country exile in the city
designed not only to hurt Iran but also to make it eminently clear how vulnerable its nuclear sites are. “The message was unmistakable, ‘we chose not to hit your nuclear sites this time, but we could have done worse right here."
BINGO.
Tex88
Veteran Member
OKC bombing?
Johnny Twoguns
Senior Member
That and WACO. WACO was a very deliberate massacre. Koresh did not light the fires. Information about what really happened took years to dribble out via FIO plus some of the trials and Senate hearings; none of which ever made national news. Our news has been heavily controlled most of our lives.
John Deere Girl
Veteran Member
Delete
Wildweasel
F-4 Phantoms Phorever
I'm thinking F-15s launching Israel's "Popeye" or longer-range "Turbo Popeye" air-launched cruise missiles as the attack mechanism.
Burrito
Veteran Member
Huh?
Pro-Hamas representatives @RashidaTlaib and @CoriBush offered an amendment to the current aid bill that prevents any aid from being provided to Israel until Hamas releases the hostages.
Yes, you read that right. Hamas would get a veto over US aid as long as they hold hostages.
View: https://twitter.com/aghamilton29/status/1781400414987952517?s=61
Yes, you read that right. Hamas would get a veto over US aid as long as they hold hostages.
View: https://twitter.com/aghamilton29/status/1781400414987952517?s=61
Bubble Head
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Israel just gave them a slap. They may have taken out their eyes (radar sites). Wait until after Passover. This is not going away.
IMO that is a special kind of stupid
and these are the dipshits that make our laws
jward
passin' thru
Israel Radar
@IsraelRadar_com
Strike in Iran: Initial Assessment
1. Reports increasingly suggest that Israel carried out a drone strike on Iranian airbase, but no final confirmation yet. Operation was possibly launched from inside Iran or a neighboring country
2. After Iran fired over 300 missiles & drones on Israel with minor damage, Israel signals that it can launch pinpoint strikes on sensitive assets in Iran and hit targets much more effectively.
3. The Iranians promised massive retaliation for ANY Israeli attack inside Iran. Now Tehran faces a dilemma on how to respond. Initial reports from Iran seem to downplay the attack, possibly to justify a minimal response. We'll see what comes next.
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian
@manniefabian
Israeli fighter jets launched three missiles at an air defense radar site near Isfahan in the overnight strike in Iran, ABC News reports, citing a US official.
The official says that the missiles were fired from outside of Iran. This may correlate with shrapnel found in Iraq this morning, thought to be part of a two-stage standoff munition, although this remains unconfirmed.
According to the report, the strike was "very limited." It says that according to an initial assessment, the strike took out the radar site, but the assessment has not yet been completed.
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian
@manniefabian
The radar site was part of the protection of Iran's Natanz nuclear facility, the report says.
@IsraelRadar_com
Strike in Iran: Initial Assessment
1. Reports increasingly suggest that Israel carried out a drone strike on Iranian airbase, but no final confirmation yet. Operation was possibly launched from inside Iran or a neighboring country
2. After Iran fired over 300 missiles & drones on Israel with minor damage, Israel signals that it can launch pinpoint strikes on sensitive assets in Iran and hit targets much more effectively.
3. The Iranians promised massive retaliation for ANY Israeli attack inside Iran. Now Tehran faces a dilemma on how to respond. Initial reports from Iran seem to downplay the attack, possibly to justify a minimal response. We'll see what comes next.
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian
@manniefabian
Israeli fighter jets launched three missiles at an air defense radar site near Isfahan in the overnight strike in Iran, ABC News reports, citing a US official.
The official says that the missiles were fired from outside of Iran. This may correlate with shrapnel found in Iraq this morning, thought to be part of a two-stage standoff munition, although this remains unconfirmed.
According to the report, the strike was "very limited." It says that according to an initial assessment, the strike took out the radar site, but the assessment has not yet been completed.
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian
@manniefabian
The radar site was part of the protection of Iran's Natanz nuclear facility, the report says.
jward
passin' thru
Jason Brodsky
@JasonMBrodsky
This is a significant move by #Israel. A senior U.S. official now confirms to @ABC
that Israeli fighter jets fired three missiles at the site in Esfahan overnight. This is the first time Israel has used fighter jets and missiles to target #Iran since 1979. That’s an important signal.
@JasonMBrodsky
This is a significant move by #Israel. A senior U.S. official now confirms to @ABC
that Israeli fighter jets fired three missiles at the site in Esfahan overnight. This is the first time Israel has used fighter jets and missiles to target #Iran since 1979. That’s an important signal.
jward
passin' thru
Babak Taghvaee - The Crisis Watch
@BabakTaghvaee1
#BREAKING: With a closer examination of crashed #Israeli missiles found in #Iraq, it has now been determined that they are Rafael ROCKS air-launched ballistic missiles. It shows that F-16I Sufa strike fighters were participants of the airstrike at #Iran. I have attached catalogue of the missile here.
View: https://twitter.com/BabakTaghvaee1/status/1781279440296681664
@BabakTaghvaee1
#BREAKING: With a closer examination of crashed #Israeli missiles found in #Iraq, it has now been determined that they are Rafael ROCKS air-launched ballistic missiles. It shows that F-16I Sufa strike fighters were participants of the airstrike at #Iran. I have attached catalogue of the missile here.
View: https://twitter.com/BabakTaghvaee1/status/1781279440296681664
jward
passin' thru
jward
passin' thru
Aurora Intel
@AuroraIntel
FINALLY.
Aurora Intel
@AuroraIntel
Radar was struck, I’m sure at some point someone will leak the Airbus imagery, but that won’t be me, otherwise I’ll be long gone from this website. But I do know others have seen the imagery too.
View: https://twitter.com/AuroraIntel/status/1781415234189582832
4:10 PM · Apr 19, 2024
137
Views
Chris Biggers
@CSBiggers
Umbra SAR imagery acquired 0648Z 19APR2024 showed evidence of damage to the Iranian S-300PMU2 strategic surface-to-air missile battery in Isfahan since 15APR2024. A probable damaged 92N6E target engagement radar was visible in imagery still on the radar hardstand.
Other battery system components however have been withdrawn from the site. Their status and location is currently unclear. According to senior U.S. military sources speaking to FOX News, “The Israelis hit what they intended to strike.”
View: https://twitter.com/CSBiggers/status/1781414290127266048
@AuroraIntel
FINALLY.
Aurora Intel
@AuroraIntel
Radar was struck, I’m sure at some point someone will leak the Airbus imagery, but that won’t be me, otherwise I’ll be long gone from this website. But I do know others have seen the imagery too.
View: https://twitter.com/AuroraIntel/status/1781415234189582832
4:10 PM · Apr 19, 2024
137
Views
Chris Biggers
@CSBiggers
Umbra SAR imagery acquired 0648Z 19APR2024 showed evidence of damage to the Iranian S-300PMU2 strategic surface-to-air missile battery in Isfahan since 15APR2024. A probable damaged 92N6E target engagement radar was visible in imagery still on the radar hardstand.
Other battery system components however have been withdrawn from the site. Their status and location is currently unclear. According to senior U.S. military sources speaking to FOX News, “The Israelis hit what they intended to strike.”
View: https://twitter.com/CSBiggers/status/1781414290127266048
jward
passin' thru
The Spectator Index
@spectatorindex
BREAKING: Times of Israel reports that satellite imagery 'shows damage to a radar system near Iran’s Isfahan Airport'
3:31 PM · Apr 19, 2024
148.2K
Views
@spectatorindex
BREAKING: Times of Israel reports that satellite imagery 'shows damage to a radar system near Iran’s Isfahan Airport'
3:31 PM · Apr 19, 2024
148.2K
Views
John Green
Veteran Member
Odds on another strike tonight ?
jward
passin' thru
Everything really still feels like they found an off ramp and intend to stay on it- at least for the short term
but I don't stay in Hiltons, so :: shrug ::
jward
passin' thru
EndGameWW3
@EndGameWW3
This is what happened in Isfahan at dawn today: Three different sites were subjected to Israeli attacks, and the most important site that was bombed appeared to be a secret missile base belonging to the Revolutionary Guard near Shahin Shahr (there are two bases located between the valleys of two mountains), from where ballistic missiles were launched towards Israel. The morning attacks on Isfahan are certainly more serious than Iranian officials pretended and Israel remained silent about it
@EndGameWW3
This is what happened in Isfahan at dawn today: Three different sites were subjected to Israeli attacks, and the most important site that was bombed appeared to be a secret missile base belonging to the Revolutionary Guard near Shahin Shahr (there are two bases located between the valleys of two mountains), from where ballistic missiles were launched towards Israel. The morning attacks on Isfahan are certainly more serious than Iranian officials pretended and Israel remained silent about it
jward
passin' thru
Israeli sources to Post: 'An eye for an eye'; not clear why Pentagon leaked info on attack
By ZVIKA KLEIN
Israel will not accept responsibility for this attack for strategic reasons.
APRIL 19, 2024 08:33
Updated: APRIL 19, 2024 12:16
Israeli official security and governmental sources told The Jerusalem Post on Friday: "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Israel retaliated where they were attacked.”
That said, officially, Israel will not accept responsibility for this attack for strategic reasons. Sources explain that the Iranians claim it was an “explosion at a factory” because they wish to avoid escalation. Israeli sources told the Post that it's unclear why the Pentagon disclosed to the American media that Israel was involved; they could have remained silent, they say. They could have preserved Iran's dignity and avoided escalating the situation on their own.
At the Kirya base in Tel Aviv, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the entire security and diplomatic leadership have been present for 24 hours, coordinating with regional partners in Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.
That said, Israel does not yet accept responsibility.
In recent hours, countries in the region have conveyed messages to Israel that if Iran attacks, they are here to help.
Objects are seen in the sky above Jerusalem after Iran launched drones and missiles towards Israel, in Jerusalem April 14, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun)
Israel reportedly informed the US of the strike
A senior US official also confirmed this on Friday morning of the attack, stating that "We were not surprised," while also telling Walla that Israel informed the US in advance of the strike.
A Bloomberg report said that Israeli officials notified the US on Thursday that they planned to launch a strike in the next 24-48 hours.
www.jpost.com
By ZVIKA KLEIN
Israel will not accept responsibility for this attack for strategic reasons.
APRIL 19, 2024 08:33
Updated: APRIL 19, 2024 12:16
Israeli official security and governmental sources told The Jerusalem Post on Friday: "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Israel retaliated where they were attacked.”
That said, officially, Israel will not accept responsibility for this attack for strategic reasons. Sources explain that the Iranians claim it was an “explosion at a factory” because they wish to avoid escalation. Israeli sources told the Post that it's unclear why the Pentagon disclosed to the American media that Israel was involved; they could have remained silent, they say. They could have preserved Iran's dignity and avoided escalating the situation on their own.
At the Kirya base in Tel Aviv, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the entire security and diplomatic leadership have been present for 24 hours, coordinating with regional partners in Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.
That said, Israel does not yet accept responsibility.
In recent hours, countries in the region have conveyed messages to Israel that if Iran attacks, they are here to help.
Objects are seen in the sky above Jerusalem after Iran launched drones and missiles towards Israel, in Jerusalem April 14, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun)
Israel reportedly informed the US of the strike
A senior US official also confirmed this on Friday morning of the attack, stating that "We were not surprised," while also telling Walla that Israel informed the US in advance of the strike.
A Bloomberg report said that Israeli officials notified the US on Thursday that they planned to launch a strike in the next 24-48 hours.
Israeli sources to Post: 'An eye for an eye'; not clear why Pentagon leaked info on attack
Israel will not accept responsibility for this attack for strategic reasons.
www.jpost.com
jward
passin' thru
Jennifer Griffin
@JenGriffinFNC
Senior US military sources:
The target of the Israeli strike was an Iranian military base in Isfahan near Natanz, not the nuclear facilities themselves. “The Israelis hit what they intended to strike,” I am told.
The targets within this strike included Iranian air defense systems at the air base including those used to protect their nearby nuclear facilities. It was a message to the Iranians, “We can reach out and touch you.” The Russian made air defense systems were shown to be ineffective.
There was one target but multiple strikes within that target.
The Israelis used missiles and unmanned aircraft – in other words no manned aircraft (F35’s or others) were used as part of this strike.
12:21 PM · Apr 19, 2024
334.8K
Views
OSINTdefender
@sentdefender
A Senior U.S. Official has stated that last night’s Israeli Strike on Iran involved an Aircraft outside of Iranian Airspace launching at least 3 Long-Range Attack Missiles at an Air Defense Site that was Protecting the Natanz Nuclear Facility in the Isfahan Province of Central Iran; an Initial Assessment indicates that the Site was Destroyed, but U.S. Defense Officials are still conducting Battle Damage Assessments (BDA).
@JenGriffinFNC
Senior US military sources:
The target of the Israeli strike was an Iranian military base in Isfahan near Natanz, not the nuclear facilities themselves. “The Israelis hit what they intended to strike,” I am told.
The targets within this strike included Iranian air defense systems at the air base including those used to protect their nearby nuclear facilities. It was a message to the Iranians, “We can reach out and touch you.” The Russian made air defense systems were shown to be ineffective.
There was one target but multiple strikes within that target.
The Israelis used missiles and unmanned aircraft – in other words no manned aircraft (F35’s or others) were used as part of this strike.
12:21 PM · Apr 19, 2024
334.8K
Views
OSINTdefender
@sentdefender
A Senior U.S. Official has stated that last night’s Israeli Strike on Iran involved an Aircraft outside of Iranian Airspace launching at least 3 Long-Range Attack Missiles at an Air Defense Site that was Protecting the Natanz Nuclear Facility in the Isfahan Province of Central Iran; an Initial Assessment indicates that the Site was Destroyed, but U.S. Defense Officials are still conducting Battle Damage Assessments (BDA).
jward
passin' thru
TankerTrackers.com, Inc.
@TankerTrackers
The Iranian 'spy ship' BEHSHAD (9167289), which had a hand in the Red Sea Crisis by assisting Houthis in launching attacks against commercial and naval vessels over the past several months, has now returned to Iran after a 3-year deployment. We were able to verify her in satellite imagery.
View: https://twitter.com/TankerTrackers/status/1781287007982878909
@TankerTrackers
The Iranian 'spy ship' BEHSHAD (9167289), which had a hand in the Red Sea Crisis by assisting Houthis in launching attacks against commercial and naval vessels over the past several months, has now returned to Iran after a 3-year deployment. We were able to verify her in satellite imagery.
View: https://twitter.com/TankerTrackers/status/1781287007982878909
jward
passin' thru
Charles Lister
@Charles_Lister
It looks like #Israel's strikes on #Iran overnight likely involved the use of "Blue Sparrow" air-launched ballistic target missiles.
What appears to be a Sparrow booster (which separates, as standard) was found near #Baghdad.
View: https://twitter.com/Charles_Lister/status/1781278553713057876
jward
passin' thru
Israel Turns Ballistic Missile Surrogate Into Air Launched Bunker-Busting Missile
Joseph Trevithick and Tyler Rogoway
Israeli firm Rafael has unveiled what appears to be a new air-launched ballistic missile, which has features in common with both an existing family of precision-guided bombs and a ballistic missile defense target. The company says the weapon will be able to find its target even in the midst of an enemy jamming its GPS-enabled navigation system, a threat that is already very real.
The 'Rocks' missile first appeared at the Aero India 2019 aerospace and defense exposition, which began on Feb. 20, 2019. Gideon Weiss, the Deputy General Manager for Business Development, Marketing, and Strategy for Rafael's Air & C4ISR Division, told Jane’s that the company had already certified an Israeli Air Force F-16I Sufa test aircraft to carry the weapon and had carried out a number of trials using the jet as a launch platform.
“Rocks provides a cutting-edge and cost-effective solution that combines several combat-proven technologies inherited from our latest-generation SPICE system,” Said Yuval Miller, the Executive Vice-President and General Manager of the Air & C4ISR Systems Division, told Airforces Monthly in a separate interview. “Rocks effectively answers a growing demand for long range, GPS-independent air-to-ground precision-strike capability.”
Miller was referring to Rafael’s Smart, Precise Impact, Cost-Effective (SPICE) family of precision-guided bombs. These bombs use a GPS-enabled Inertial Guidance System (INS) navigation system to direct them to the general target area before switching over to an imaging infrared seeker for the terminal stage of flight.
message-editor%2F1550711050109-rocks-display.jpg
Rocks, on display in front of a SPICE bomb, at Aero India 2019., Rafael
Though we don't yet know the exact specifics about Rocks' guidance capabilities, SPICE can operate in an autonomous mode, using an image recognition algorithm to spot the target and home in on it. It can also be manually directed through a so-called “man-in-the-loop” functionality, a hallmark of Israel's precision-guided missiles and bombs.
This means that the crew in the aircraft that releases the bomb and maneuver it right until it hits the target. This allows for extreme accuracy, even against moving targets, and allows the operator to quickly shift the bomb away from the target if a better one appears or if it becomes apparent that the strike would put innocent bystanders at undue risk. The added precision makes it more viable to pursue the target even in densely packed areas full of innocent civilians, as well. It also means that the weapon can hit targets that have fled from their original position. Traditionally, the launch aircraft carries a data-link pod for these operations.
Video thumbnail
It is not clear if Rocks actually has the same level of man-in-the-loop functionality. But with the SPICE-based guidance package and its automated image matching functionality, it wouldn't necessarily need to rely on the GPS/INS guidance system during the terminal approach to its target actually hit it with pinpoint accuracy.
Rafael has not yet disclosed the range of Rocks, either. The company has said the missile has "a very significant standoff range" and "a high-velocity trajectory towards the target," according to Airforces Monthly.
However, judging by its external design, the weapon appears to be a hybrid of the SPICE guidance package and a missile body derived from the company’s Black Sparrow. This latter system is an air-launched target intended to simulate the characteristics of a short-range ballistic missile. Israel has utilized these in the testing of its Arrow family of ballistic missile defense systems in the past.
Video thumbnail
There is scant information on the Black Sparrow’s range and flight envelope, but it is supposed to mimic Soviet Scuds and derivatives, the longest range examples of which can hit targets out to around 430 miles. However, the surrogate ballistic missile wouldn’t necessarily need to have anywhere near this range to stand in for a Scud for test purposes.
In addition, though Israel is not a formal member of the Missile Technology Control Regime arms control bloc, it has publicly stated that it follows those parameters. The MTCR places severe restrictions on the export of missiles that can carry payloads of more than 1,100 pounds to distances of more than 190 miles. If Rafael hoped to export Rocks, these parameters could be the very upper limits of the missile’s potential capabilities.
The use of the Black Sparrow design as a starting point also strongly suggests that Rocks operates like an air-launched ballistic missile. As such, the missile would be the latest example of a growing worldwide trend toward the development of this class of weapons. In 2018, Israeli Military Industries (IMI) Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) unveiled their own air-launched ballistic missile, called Rampage, derived from the EXTRA ground-launched guided artillery rocket.
Video thumbnail
Rafael has also said that the missile will be able to carry a penetrating type warhead capable of striking at hardened, sub-surface targets, as well as a blast-fragmentation design for engaging opponents in the open. We don’t know the specifics of the design of either payload or their weight classes.
The different warhead options suggest that the weapon’s payload section might be modular to some degree. It could be that the missile can accept any standardized warhead in certain weight classes, as is the case with SPICE bombs. There are readily available 2,000-pound class bunker buster and blast-fragmentation warheads for instance. Due to the ballistic nature of its flight, its high velocity during the terminal stages of flight would greatly help it penetrate deeper into a target, as well.
“We have completed full-scale development and testing – including airborne and homing – but we have not yet completed the qualification of the missile,” Rafael’s Weiss also told Jane’s. “This will be the final part of the development process, which will be completed according to our customer requirements.”
He did not say who this customer or customers might be. But given the certification of the weapon on an Israeli Air Force F-16I, which can carry up to four Rocks at once, it seems very likely that Israel is among them. The Israeli Air Force's F-15s, many of which are specifically configured as long-range strike aircraft, would be able to carry these missiles, too.
An Israeli Air Force F-15 carries a Black Sparrow surrogate ballistic missile. , IAF
For Israel, having a standoff, hardened-target penetrating weapon, could be especially valuable. The country faces a number of opponents in the region who rely heavily on bunkers and other hardened structures, as well as tunnels underground, to try and reduce their vulnerability to Israeli air strikes. This includes Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and various adversaries in Syria, including Iranian and Iranian-backed forces. These targets are often in built-up areas full of civilians, where the added precision of the SPICE-based guidance package would be invaluable.
The stand-off range of Rocks would help reduce the launching platform’s vulnerability to advanced air defenses, as well. Israeli jets already routinely launch missiles and bombs from Lebanese airspace along the Syrian border to minimize the time they spend exposed to hostile forces.
As such, there could also be a role for barrages of Rocks against more strategic targets, such as elements of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, many of which are underground and protected by long-range surface-to-air missiles. An air-launched ballistic missile with a maximum range at the edge of the MTCR restrictions would allow the launch platform to stay outside the engagement range of virtually all current air defense systems. At the same time, its speed would make it hard, if not impossible to for an opponent to intercept the incoming threat with higher-end point defense systems.
Some of these systems, such as the Russian-built Pantsir S1, are touted as capable of shooting down slower-moving cruise missiles and glide bombs. The high-supersonic speed and steep trajectory of a ballistic-type missile makes intercepting them with short-range air defenses all but impossible. And these types of defenses, often placed near high value target areas, are increasingly popular among Israel's most notable enemies.
Video thumbnail
Beyond busting bunkers and fortified structures, as well as other fixed targets, Rocks will be especially well suited to neutralizing enemy air defenses. It's ability to give 4th generation fighters the ability to rapidly engage threatening air defense sites over long distances, and in a way that is hard to counter once the missile is in the air, means destruction of enemy air defenses can be provided without putting the launch platform at great risk. The fact that it can even continue its attack as mobile SAM systems flee makes it all that much more relevant.
Hardened targets in heavily protected areas and the threat of increasingly advanced air defense systems are hardly limited to Israel's opponents, either. Depending on its exact capabilities, Rocks could be appealing to export customers, as well. By using so many well-established components from existing systems, the unique missile might turn out to be comparatively low-cost.
It’s not the first time the company has mated a SPICE-based guidance package with another weapon system to produce a relatively cheap guided munition, either. In May 2018, the Israeli defense contractor revealed the Electro-Optical Precision Integration Kit (EPIK), a bolt-on guidance kit derived from SPICE that would work with the popular 122mm artillery rocket.
If Israel is indeed the launch customer for Rocks, it may not be long before it employs those weapons against various regional opponents. If the missile proves successful, it could help Rafael pitch it abroad, if the company hasn’t lined up other buyers already
as always, video and images at source:
www.twz.com
Joseph Trevithick and Tyler Rogoway
Israeli firm Rafael has unveiled what appears to be a new air-launched ballistic missile, which has features in common with both an existing family of precision-guided bombs and a ballistic missile defense target. The company says the weapon will be able to find its target even in the midst of an enemy jamming its GPS-enabled navigation system, a threat that is already very real.
The 'Rocks' missile first appeared at the Aero India 2019 aerospace and defense exposition, which began on Feb. 20, 2019. Gideon Weiss, the Deputy General Manager for Business Development, Marketing, and Strategy for Rafael's Air & C4ISR Division, told Jane’s that the company had already certified an Israeli Air Force F-16I Sufa test aircraft to carry the weapon and had carried out a number of trials using the jet as a launch platform.
“Rocks provides a cutting-edge and cost-effective solution that combines several combat-proven technologies inherited from our latest-generation SPICE system,” Said Yuval Miller, the Executive Vice-President and General Manager of the Air & C4ISR Systems Division, told Airforces Monthly in a separate interview. “Rocks effectively answers a growing demand for long range, GPS-independent air-to-ground precision-strike capability.”
Miller was referring to Rafael’s Smart, Precise Impact, Cost-Effective (SPICE) family of precision-guided bombs. These bombs use a GPS-enabled Inertial Guidance System (INS) navigation system to direct them to the general target area before switching over to an imaging infrared seeker for the terminal stage of flight.
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Rocks, on display in front of a SPICE bomb, at Aero India 2019., Rafael
Though we don't yet know the exact specifics about Rocks' guidance capabilities, SPICE can operate in an autonomous mode, using an image recognition algorithm to spot the target and home in on it. It can also be manually directed through a so-called “man-in-the-loop” functionality, a hallmark of Israel's precision-guided missiles and bombs.
This means that the crew in the aircraft that releases the bomb and maneuver it right until it hits the target. This allows for extreme accuracy, even against moving targets, and allows the operator to quickly shift the bomb away from the target if a better one appears or if it becomes apparent that the strike would put innocent bystanders at undue risk. The added precision makes it more viable to pursue the target even in densely packed areas full of innocent civilians, as well. It also means that the weapon can hit targets that have fled from their original position. Traditionally, the launch aircraft carries a data-link pod for these operations.
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It is not clear if Rocks actually has the same level of man-in-the-loop functionality. But with the SPICE-based guidance package and its automated image matching functionality, it wouldn't necessarily need to rely on the GPS/INS guidance system during the terminal approach to its target actually hit it with pinpoint accuracy.
Rafael has not yet disclosed the range of Rocks, either. The company has said the missile has "a very significant standoff range" and "a high-velocity trajectory towards the target," according to Airforces Monthly.
However, judging by its external design, the weapon appears to be a hybrid of the SPICE guidance package and a missile body derived from the company’s Black Sparrow. This latter system is an air-launched target intended to simulate the characteristics of a short-range ballistic missile. Israel has utilized these in the testing of its Arrow family of ballistic missile defense systems in the past.
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There is scant information on the Black Sparrow’s range and flight envelope, but it is supposed to mimic Soviet Scuds and derivatives, the longest range examples of which can hit targets out to around 430 miles. However, the surrogate ballistic missile wouldn’t necessarily need to have anywhere near this range to stand in for a Scud for test purposes.
In addition, though Israel is not a formal member of the Missile Technology Control Regime arms control bloc, it has publicly stated that it follows those parameters. The MTCR places severe restrictions on the export of missiles that can carry payloads of more than 1,100 pounds to distances of more than 190 miles. If Rafael hoped to export Rocks, these parameters could be the very upper limits of the missile’s potential capabilities.
The use of the Black Sparrow design as a starting point also strongly suggests that Rocks operates like an air-launched ballistic missile. As such, the missile would be the latest example of a growing worldwide trend toward the development of this class of weapons. In 2018, Israeli Military Industries (IMI) Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) unveiled their own air-launched ballistic missile, called Rampage, derived from the EXTRA ground-launched guided artillery rocket.
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Rafael has also said that the missile will be able to carry a penetrating type warhead capable of striking at hardened, sub-surface targets, as well as a blast-fragmentation design for engaging opponents in the open. We don’t know the specifics of the design of either payload or their weight classes.
The different warhead options suggest that the weapon’s payload section might be modular to some degree. It could be that the missile can accept any standardized warhead in certain weight classes, as is the case with SPICE bombs. There are readily available 2,000-pound class bunker buster and blast-fragmentation warheads for instance. Due to the ballistic nature of its flight, its high velocity during the terminal stages of flight would greatly help it penetrate deeper into a target, as well.
“We have completed full-scale development and testing – including airborne and homing – but we have not yet completed the qualification of the missile,” Rafael’s Weiss also told Jane’s. “This will be the final part of the development process, which will be completed according to our customer requirements.”
He did not say who this customer or customers might be. But given the certification of the weapon on an Israeli Air Force F-16I, which can carry up to four Rocks at once, it seems very likely that Israel is among them. The Israeli Air Force's F-15s, many of which are specifically configured as long-range strike aircraft, would be able to carry these missiles, too.
An Israeli Air Force F-15 carries a Black Sparrow surrogate ballistic missile. , IAF
For Israel, having a standoff, hardened-target penetrating weapon, could be especially valuable. The country faces a number of opponents in the region who rely heavily on bunkers and other hardened structures, as well as tunnels underground, to try and reduce their vulnerability to Israeli air strikes. This includes Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and various adversaries in Syria, including Iranian and Iranian-backed forces. These targets are often in built-up areas full of civilians, where the added precision of the SPICE-based guidance package would be invaluable.
The stand-off range of Rocks would help reduce the launching platform’s vulnerability to advanced air defenses, as well. Israeli jets already routinely launch missiles and bombs from Lebanese airspace along the Syrian border to minimize the time they spend exposed to hostile forces.
As such, there could also be a role for barrages of Rocks against more strategic targets, such as elements of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, many of which are underground and protected by long-range surface-to-air missiles. An air-launched ballistic missile with a maximum range at the edge of the MTCR restrictions would allow the launch platform to stay outside the engagement range of virtually all current air defense systems. At the same time, its speed would make it hard, if not impossible to for an opponent to intercept the incoming threat with higher-end point defense systems.
Some of these systems, such as the Russian-built Pantsir S1, are touted as capable of shooting down slower-moving cruise missiles and glide bombs. The high-supersonic speed and steep trajectory of a ballistic-type missile makes intercepting them with short-range air defenses all but impossible. And these types of defenses, often placed near high value target areas, are increasingly popular among Israel's most notable enemies.
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Beyond busting bunkers and fortified structures, as well as other fixed targets, Rocks will be especially well suited to neutralizing enemy air defenses. It's ability to give 4th generation fighters the ability to rapidly engage threatening air defense sites over long distances, and in a way that is hard to counter once the missile is in the air, means destruction of enemy air defenses can be provided without putting the launch platform at great risk. The fact that it can even continue its attack as mobile SAM systems flee makes it all that much more relevant.
Hardened targets in heavily protected areas and the threat of increasingly advanced air defense systems are hardly limited to Israel's opponents, either. Depending on its exact capabilities, Rocks could be appealing to export customers, as well. By using so many well-established components from existing systems, the unique missile might turn out to be comparatively low-cost.
It’s not the first time the company has mated a SPICE-based guidance package with another weapon system to produce a relatively cheap guided munition, either. In May 2018, the Israeli defense contractor revealed the Electro-Optical Precision Integration Kit (EPIK), a bolt-on guidance kit derived from SPICE that would work with the popular 122mm artillery rocket.
If Israel is indeed the launch customer for Rocks, it may not be long before it employs those weapons against various regional opponents. If the missile proves successful, it could help Rafael pitch it abroad, if the company hasn’t lined up other buyers already
as always, video and images at source:
Israel Turns Ballistic Missile Surrogate Into Air Launched Bunker-Busting Missile
The fast-flying weapon can hit regular targets above and hardened below ground and do so even if its GPS is jammed.
www.twz.com
jward
passin' thru
Jennifer Griffin
@JenGriffinFNC
No Israeli airstrikes or Iranian proxy attacks last night in Syria or Iraq: US officials tell Fox. Also no attempted attacks by the Houthis since last night. This was a limited strike. Both sides have made their point, according to sources. Last night’s strike was limited to one target inside Iran. US military not involved.
1:12 PM · Apr 19, 2024
33.3K
Views
@JenGriffinFNC
No Israeli airstrikes or Iranian proxy attacks last night in Syria or Iraq: US officials tell Fox. Also no attempted attacks by the Houthis since last night. This was a limited strike. Both sides have made their point, according to sources. Last night’s strike was limited to one target inside Iran. US military not involved.
1:12 PM · Apr 19, 2024
33.3K
Views
jward
passin' thru
OSINTdefender
@sentdefender
Significant Airstrikes by Unknown Aircraft have been reported against a Major Iranian-Backed Militia Base in the Babylon Governorate of Eastern Iraq to the South of Baghdad.
View: https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1781442320161779751
jward
passin' thru
OSINTdefender
OSINTdefender
@sentdefender
Significant Airstrikes by Unknown Aircraft have been reported against a Major Iranian-Backed Militia Base in the Babylon Governorate of Eastern Iraq to the South of Baghdad.
View: https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1781442320161779751
@sentdefender
A Massive Fire is currently Burning at the Former-Location of U.S. FOB Kalsu to the South of Baghdad, Iraq following several Airstrikes by Unknown Aircraft on a Iranian-Backed Militia Base which had been Established at the Site.
View: https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1781443059554677037
The key to any crisis situation is to yell some unintelligible foreign gibberish as loud as you can.
Or, you can actually try to do something to fix the problem.
View: https://twitter.com/AuroraIntel/status/1781443857957150969
Or, you can actually try to do something to fix the problem.
View: https://twitter.com/AuroraIntel/status/1781443857957150969
jward
passin' thru
War Watch
@WarWatchs
An American attack on the Kalsu base.
View: https://twitter.com/WarWatchs/status/1781443702461784443
AlfaMan
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Two things I'd be doing this evening.
If I were in Europe, I'd watch the prevailing winds and I'd turn my radmeter on. If "nothing" happened, my guess is; the leaks from the "nothing happened" wil be in western Europe within 2-3 days.
And wherever you are-make sure the BOB's are loaded up and ready to go.
Because I don't think this was all of Israel's attack. Think of it as an appetizer, or hors d' ouvres. Ishafan is apparently an F-14 base. So the attack (as presented in the media) was "measured". IE it wasn't much of a retaliation. I think much more was hit in that area than just a little air base.
Tit just hit tat. Next serve, Iran?