IDF Spokesperson Brig.-Gen. Effie Defrin announced serious setbacks for the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran after the fifth day of Operation Rising Lion, on Tuesday.
Around 60 IDF jets struck 12 surface-to-surface missile launch sites and storage facilities in the Isfahan area of central Iran.
These strikes followed several days of intense strikes against Iranian targets throughout the country.
"Thanks to our strikes, the Iranian regime forces have been pushed to the center of Iran. Now they are focusing their efforts to launch from the Isfahan area," Defrin said during a speech on Tuesday. "They have withdrawn from western Iran, but we are pursuing them. We are carrying out planned and precise waves of attacks against the launch sites in the area."
Defrin reaffirmed that Israel would aggressively pursue air superiority over Iran, locating military operatives and launch sites.
He said there would be no more "cities of refuge in the Middle East. This is not a slogan; this is reality."
Israel would follow the Dahiyeh doctrine against regime officials and launch sites.
Defrin cautioned that despite the success, Iran remained a threat and that there should be no mistake that "the Iranian regime still has significant capabilities that, as we have seen, are capable of causing damage."
Goals of the campaign against Iran
Responding to questions, Defrin said the focus of the campaign was to "remove the existential threat" posed by the Iranian regime on Israel.
This included damaging the Iranian nuclear program by killing scientists and damaging enrichment sites. "We are setting goals, not time limits. When we complete our missions, you will know."
Defrin cautioned that the Iranian army remained united and that there were no signs of a deterioration in unity.
He also said that the decrease in attacks was likely due to a combination of factors: on the one hand, the use and destruction of existing missile stocks; on the other, the increased distance missiles must cover due to being forced to launch from farther east.