The importance of targeting Isfahan

Source: News9live
Author: Muralidhara Sampangishetty

Iran and Israel do not share a common border. If there is war, it will be an air battle between both countries. (Picture credit: Reuters)

Early on April 19, Israeli drones struck an Iran Air Force base in Isfahan 441 km south of Tehran. The province houses Iran's nuclear research facility. This attack has been seen as a reprisal for last Saturday's attack in which Iran shot over 300 missiles and drones at Israel.

Now, Iran has downplayed the damage to its military facilities. And it's outright denied that any of its nuclear facilities were attacked. However, will this escalate the conflict? Iran and Israel have waged a shadow war for decades. How will these direct strikes and counter-strikes end?

The bigger picture

Lt Gen Rameshwar Yadav, Former Director General of Infantry, Indian Army while talking to News9 Plus Editor Sandeep Unnithan on the News9 Plus Show, says the attack was Israel and US's plan to draw Iran directly into the war.

"It is a very deliberate and very well-calibrated game plan by the US and Israel combined against Iran. Israel has drawn Iran very smartly into the battle directly now. So far, Iran has been playing up their proxies. Now Israel has drawn them into a direct one-to-one battle. By doing so, they have created an opportunity to change the perception of Iran as an aggressor instead of Israel being an aggressor," said Rameshwar Yadav.

The warning

Israel and the United States are trying to convey a political-military message to Iran, according to Yadav. "They are saying that we are going to degrade Iran's military capability so do not harass Israel and carry out anti-Israeli activities. It also seems to be objective to neutralise the Iranian proxies injecting anti-Israeli activity. Because this war was all about Iran from the very beginning. So Iran is the ultimate target of the US and Israel combined and they want to finish this nuisance once and for all," added Yadav.

Target Isfahan

The central Iranian province of Isfahan is home to several important military facilities, including nuclear facilities, a major airbase, and factories associated with Iranian drones and other military production.

"Isfahan has got a uranium enrichment facility. In case Iran produces a nuclear bomb the enrichment facility is there. So this is the mother of an entire nuclear programme that Iran has. So that's where the importance of Isfahan comes from. Israel's attack was not targeted at the nuclear facility. Israel is trying to convey a message to Iran saying look, we can hit your nuclear facility. But We are not doing it," Yadav said.