An explosion occurred at the Tomer Factory for Advanced Weapons, near the Ramla city in Northern Israel, allegedly during a “routine test” on April 21. It created a sensation that the next night of the explosion, a missile exploded in the region close to Dimona, where the nuclear facilities of the country are located. While Israeli authorities have claimed that the explosion in Dimona resulted from a misfire of a Syrian air defence missile (s-200/sa-5), the Iranian authorities and observers have argued that it was a deliberate attack that aims to warn Israel.

Even though the military tension between Israel and Iran has been continuing for more than 40 years, it has entered a new phase after the Arab Spring that has transferred the tension into the covered operations and acts of terror with Iran’s military presence in Syria and the expanded scope of its nuclear activities since 2010. Israel has raised its attacks gradually against Iranian assets in Syria, which represented the primary area of threat for the country. By doing so, it has expanded the region which its airstrikes hit, from its borders to all Syrian fields. Then, it has widened these attacks towards Iraq. Israel also assassinated several scientists and the military authorities, who specialized in nuclear activities, to stop or slow down the Iranian nuclear actions. Israel, which targeted General Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in its last attack, has directed its operations towards sensitive nuclear facilities. The Natanz Uranium Enrichment Facility has been targeted two times in the last year in the attacks believed to be Israel-originated. Furthermore, it paved the way for new discussions in the country that the Deputy Commander of Quds Force Mohammad Hossein-Zadeh Hejazi and Mohammad Ali Haghbin, one of the top-level commanders of the Quds Force, were reported to be dead because of COVID-19. Several people, who are close to the Iran administration, stated that Hejazi did not die due to COVID-19, he was healthy the day before, and he was probably targeted in a biological attack. Consequently, these statements have raised doubts about Israel again. The attacks and clashes between Israel and Iran, which have been intensified in the last month, have not been limited to the military targets but have also directed against civil vessels and tankers in the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Arabian Sea.

Israel declared the issues of the routine tests and the anti-aircraft missile-misfire as the reasons for the two powerful explosions in 24 hours, which caused local people to panic. However, these reasons seem to be unrealistic. The Iranian sources express that the human elements, who infiltrated the facilities, caused the first explosion while the second explosion was generated by a land-attack missile, like Fateh-110. They also stated that the attack was a warning to Israel and did not directly target the nuclear facility in Dimona.

Even if these attacks are completely by accident and coincidental, as Israel claims, it will certainly put Tehran at ease, which has been distressed by the internal demands for retaliation. Another certain point is that the Iran Dome System, which has been advertised in the last years and requested by the USA and the Gulf States, shut down for some unknown reasons. Even without the use of the drone herds and sending tens of missiles simultaneously, the explosion of the missile, which traveled 250 kilometers near the most sheltered facility of the country, has damaged the technological reputation of the country. When this situation is considered, it becomes more perceivable why the Israeli authorities warned the Israeli media against any unofficial explanations that serve Iran’s psychological war discourses.

Israel is expected to continue similar sensational actions due to the facts that the USA is on the verge of a new nuclear deal with Iran, the Israeli security authorities have increased their visits to the USA, and the USA commanders stated that they will not be dragged into a potential war between Israel and Iran by emphasizing Iran’s missile capability. Israel, which seems to have infiltrated Iran's security mechanisms, aims to obstruct Iran to ease for a couple of years, thanks to a new deal.

This article is first published on 24.04.2021 at Sabah.

https://www.sabah.com.tr/yazarlar/perspektif/hakki-uygur/2021/04/24/israildeki-patlamalarin-ne-anlama-geliyor