Iran Pledges Practical Response to Israel Drone Agression
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A top IRGC commander underscored that Iran’s reaction to violation of its airspace by an Israeli drone will not be necessarily diplomatic, but that Tel Aviv will get a practical response.
“Iran’s response to the Israeli drone’s aggression will not be diplomatic. We will give response in action and will not necessarily publicize it,” the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Lieutenant Commander Brigadier General Hossein Salami said on Tuesday.
His comments came after the IRGC forces on Sunday tracked and shot down a radar-evading stealth Israeli drone which was intending to penetrate the airspace over Natanz nuclear zone.
The intruding aircraft was intercepted by a surface-to-air missile.
Salami further added that the Israeli aircraft was spotted immediately after it entered Iran's airspace, but was allowed to fly deeper to determine its destination.
“The drone was tracked as soon as it entered the country's airspace, we managed it and let it fly inside to know about their (Israelis’) intelligence intention, and we hit it at the proper location,” explained the commander.
While the IRGC has announced that some components of the downed drone have remained intact, Salami said there is no need to reverse-engineer the aircraft, though adding that Iran does have the capability to do so.
The commander reiterated that the UAV’s operational range indicates that it has not taken off from the occupied territories, and noted, “We are almost aware of its point of departure , but do not make any judgment yet.”
Earlier, a senior Iranian military commander said the Israeli drone had taken off from a regional country.
“The operational range of this spying drone reveals that it had not taken off from the occupied territories, but the departure was from one of the regional countries. We have found some clues in this regard and are exploring them,” said Commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh.