Israel versus Iran

[tamada]

The tit-for-tat just deepened with the Israeli air force "conducting precise strikes on Iran military targets".

Not unexpected as aircraft and materiel has been openly observed being redeployed at IDF air bases over the last week, including in-flight refueling support.

Gloves off this time?

[Udon Map]

Gloves off this time?

According to the U.N. Bureau Chief of the NYTimes, Iran is downplaying the severity of the attacks, perhaps not wanting to bite off more than it can chew.

[FrazeeDK]

seems the primary targets were air defense systems followed by a big attack on Iran's solid fuel plants for ballistic missiles. No fuel and those missiles are just big tubes of air.. With no effective air defense the Israelis have the ability to attack anytime.. The Mullahs know that.. Will they decide to launch another large flight of missiles? Or hunker down, claim there was minimal damage and perhaps Israel won't give them another drubbing?

[tamada]

Yes, by all accounts the IDF attacks were very focused and very successful. The Ayatollah himself looked and sounded somewhat mollified compared with his last oration. They aren't mortally wounded but appear to be ripe for more serious damage if they respond in kind.

What sort of fuel do the Hamas and Hezbollah rockets use? If it's solid fuel and they rely on supplies from Iran, maybe the Iron Dome will get a bit of a break. However, Iran's drone warfare is battle-tested in Ukraine so that's still an issue.

[Udon Map]

Just found out that the IDF's retaliatory strike against Iran the other day was codenamed "Operation Days of Repentance." Somehow, I don't think that the Iranian laeders will be repenting their attacks on Israel. Yet.

[FrazeeDK]

the majority of Iranian missile and rocket production use solid fuel. The Iranians still have some liquid fuel rockets but preparing a liquid fueled missile for launch means a lengthy fueling with extremely volatile chemicals..

[tamada]

the majority of Iranian missile and rocket production use solid fuel. The Iranians still have some liquid fuel rockets but preparing a liquid fueled missile for launch means a lengthy fueling with extremely volatile chemicals..

A few months ago, it was alleged that Hamas's rockets were built locally, in their network of tunnels. What's their propellant and where does it come from?

Ok, giyf.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qassam_rocket

From wiki: Potassium nitrate, eh? Major uses of potassium nitrate are in fertilizers, tree stump removal, rocket propellants and fireworks. It is one of the major constituents of gunpowder (black powder).

Then there's ammonium nitrate, the stuff that blew a huge hole in Beirut back in 2020. There's speculation as to why the Lebanese port authority chose to seize this shipment from m/v Rhosus, a Russian-owned vessel, and keep it in a warehouse in the first place.

From wiki: As a fertilizer, it helps feed billions. It is also the main component in many types of mining explosives, where it is mixed with fuel oil and detonated by an explosive charge.

From wiki: During Rhosus's last voyage, Manoli (Cypriot businessman who chartered the vessel) owed €962,000 to FBME Bank, which is accused of helping the Shia militant group Hezbollah. However, Rhosus and more importantly, its cargo, might have been offered up as collateral to the bank at one stage.

Lebanon... forever dodgy.