The Israel Air Force was able to monitor the transfer of the Islamic Republic's air defense systems and missiles between locations during Israel's 12-day war with Iran in June, several military officials familiar with the matter told N12 News in an interview published on Thursday.
The officials described in detail to the Israeli outlet the actions taken by the Air Force's Intelligence Technology Service (ITS), which identified Iranian threats, directed the IAF on where to operate, and informed them of areas to avoid, thus assisting Israeli forces in achieving air superiority over Iranian skies.
One air force official, whom the N12 article refers to as "Lieutenant G," recalled the moment when the IAF intelligence service caught the transfer of two air defense systems being moved from Tehran to another area in Iran, which he noted was how Shatal was able to help identify the routes Islamic Republic military personnel were using to transfer defense systems.
The ITS then passed the information to the Air Force to carry out precise strikes.
"Without such air superiority, the Air Force would not have been able to operate where it wanted," Lieutenant G. told N12. He serves as a commander of an air defense unit in ITS.
On Sunday, The New York Times cited Ali Vaez, the Iran project director at the International Crisis Group, saying that he was informed by Iranian officials that missile factories are working 24 hours a day, and that if there is another war, Iran hopes to fire 2,000 at once, compared to the 500 they sent over a span of 12 days.
The Lieutenant G said in the N12 interview that the IAF and ITS are preparing for the next possible conflict with the Islamic Republic, while noting that the damage to Iranian forces in June was significant, and that Iran is attempting to hide their activities in restoring the military capabilities it lost last Summer.
Islamic Republic replenishing military capabilities it lost over the Summer
However, Iran is reportedly far from regaining all the military power lost since then, including the damage done to its nuclear sites and ballistic missile systems, the report cited Lieutenant G as saying.
On Monday, a senior official told Israeli public broadcaster KAN News that the Jewish state should seek to overthrow the Iranian regime before the end of US President Donald Trump's administration, warning that there's limited time to act against the Islamic Republic.
A senior security source then told the public broadcaster that Iran has been seeking to reproduce its stockpile of advanced missiles, and Israel is closely monitoring Tehran's efforts.