Israel to attack Iran s underground missile sites in second phase of war- report

Israel is moving into the second phase of its conflict with Iran, which will involve airstrikes on ballistic missile sites located deep underground, according to two sources familiar with the military operations. This joint air assault with the U.S. is approaching the end of its first week, following initial attacks that killed Iran's leaders and sparked a wider regional conflict, with Iranian strikes on Israel, the Gulf, and Iraq, alongside Israeli responses in Lebanon. The Israeli military claims to have targeted hundreds of Iranian missile launchers above ground that could threaten Israeli cities. The upcoming phase will focus on bunkers that store ballistic missiles and related equipment, as revealed by the anonymous sources due to the sensitive nature of the information. One source mentioned that Israel's goal is to eliminate Iran’s capability to conduct aerial attacks against Israel by the war's conclusion, while also aiming to dismantle the Islamic Republic's leadership. A military spokesperson did not provide immediate comments regarding these plans. Previously, the military indicated that both it and the U.S. had gained control over much of Iran's airspace early in the conflict. On Thursday, the military announced that its Air Force targeted “an underground site used by the Iranian regime to store ballistic missiles and missile storage locations meant for use against aircraft” during overnight operations. Until now, the military had not publicly confirmed attacks on underground missile facilities since the start of the joint U.S.-Israeli operations last Saturday. Estimates of Iran's missile inventory vary significantly, with Israel's military suggesting around 2,500 missiles existed before the war, while other analysts estimate the number could be as high as 6,000. The amount of missiles that remain could be crucial for the future of the war. Iran has continued to launch missile attacks on Israel and the surrounding region. Douglas Barrie from the UK-based International Institute for Strategic Studies stated on Wednesday that the organization believes Iran still has some land-attack cruise missiles and precision-guided weapons that can fly low to avoid radar detection.