Iran Unveils Underground Missile Base Used to Attack Israel
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) showcased its power in Tehran streets, accompanied by thousands of Basij militia members, as Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House.
Iranian state television aired rare footage of IRGC Commander Hossein Salami visiting an underground missile base reportedly used in October to attack Israel. This revelation came hours after a military parade involving thousands of Basij paramilitary members.
According to the television report, this base, “located in the mountains,” houses dozens of missiles and was recently used to launch an attack on Israel as part of “Operation True Promise 2,” without disclosing the base’s exact location.
This referred to the launch of nearly 200 missiles against Israel on October 1, including hypersonic missiles for the first time.
Tehran stated that these strikes were a response to the assassination of former Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July and the death of an Iranian general during an Israeli strike in Beirut’s southern suburb on September 27, which also killed former Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah.
At the end of October, Israel announced it had carried out strikes on Iranian military sites in retaliation for an Iranian attack.
Footage of the military base was aired shortly after a military parade in Tehran, where thousands of IRGC members paraded alongside military vehicles and heavy weapons to demonstrate readiness against threats to Iran.
The parade, which started in the capital’s streets, also included groups from the Basij forces affiliated with the IRGC.
This media focus comes as the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump approaches on January 20. Iran emphasizes its military strength following the weakening of its allies, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, during wars against Israel.
During the parade, IRGC General Mohammad Reza Naqdi stated that the United States was “responsible for all the world’s Islamic misfortunes.”
He added, “If we manage to destroy the Zionist regime and remove American bases from the region, one of our major problems will be resolved,” referring to Israel, Tehran’s arch-enemy.
Participants dressed in military uniforms, some on motorcycles or vehicles, carried rocket launchers before a crowd waving flags of Iran, Palestine, and the Iranian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah.
Models of Iranian-made missiles and drones, along with other military equipment, were displayed in the streets of Tehran.
Tehran IRGC Commander General Hassan Zadeh said on television that one of the march’s goals was to support the people of Gaza and Palestine. He added, “We also aim to show that the Basij forces are ready to face any threats against the Islamic Revolution.”
Iran does not recognize Israel and has made supporting the Palestinian cause a cornerstone of its foreign policy since the 1979 Iranian Revolution.
Hossein Salami stated, “Missile and drone cities will soon be unveiled, and everyone will see Iran’s power and unseen depth,” adding that Iran “has neither weakened nor backed down from its political positions.”
The Iranian news agency IRNA quoted Salami saying, “We have not fired even a single bullet from Syrian or Lebanese soil toward the Zionist regime, but we responded officially, clearly, and directly from our territory with our missiles.”
He continued, “We do not make any other country or territory the stage of our battle because we are big enough to respond to any threat from our land. When our ships are hit at sea, the Zionists know where theirs are struck.”
