Over the past 24 hours, Iran bombed Israel's Haifa, with no messages about missiles being intercepted. "Israel has actually admitted defeat by abandoning northern cities."

According to CCTV International News, Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force Commander Majid Mousavi said via social media on the evening of April 6 local time that over the past 24 hours, Iran’s missile strikes hit the Haifa refinery, power facilities, the port, and the railway in northern Israel, and there were no reports that any missiles were intercepted. He noted, “By giving up the northern cities, Israel has in effect acknowledged defeat.”

On April 6, Israel’s emergency rescue department said that after 18 hours of search and rescue, all four people trapped under the rubble of a residential building in Haifa in northern Israel due to Iran’s missile attack had all died. In addition, eight others were injured to varying degrees. This is the most severe death toll in Haifa city area caused by Iranian missiles since the fighting began.

On April 6, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a statement saying that on the day it launched the “True Promise-4” operation, Wave 98 offensive, striking targets including Israel’s northern and southern Tel Aviv, strategic centers in Haifa, chemical enterprises and factories in Beersheba, and IDF installations in Petah Tikva.

Iranian missiles repeatedly breach interception, causing fatalities in multiple places

CCTV correspondent Liang Hui: From the afternoon of April 5 local time to the morning of April 6, Iran’s missiles repeatedly broke through Israel’s air-defense system and hit places including Haifa and Tel Aviv, causing widespread damage. This is also a relatively rare incident in recent times where Iran launched missile attacks in the early hours, causing significant destruction and casualties in multiple densely populated cities at the same time.

CCTV correspondent Liang Hui: In the northern city of Haifa, a six-story residential building was hit by an Iranian missile on the afternoon of the 5th, damaging the main structure of the building. A fire broke out at one point, and at least four people were buried under the rubble. According to information from the emergency rescue department, as of 9:00 a.m. on the 6th, two people were found, but they had already lost their lives. In addition, two more people were buried under the rubble. This attack also caused at least eight people to be injured.

CCTV correspondent Liang Hui: From the early hours of April 6 through the morning, Iran launched four rounds of, and a dozen-plus missiles toward, Israel, including some missiles carrying cluster munitions warheads. This is also relatively unusual in recent times in that Iran launched missiles intensively during the early-morning period. Preliminary figures show that these missiles caused damage in multiple places in both Haifa and Tel Aviv. In Israel’s central region alone, there were at least 20 damage sites, including buildings, vehicles, and streets, resulting in at least 20 injuries.

CCTV correspondent Liang Hui: According to Israel’s figures, since the fighting began Iran has fired a total of about 500 missiles at Israel, and at least 14 hit densely populated areas in Israel, causing large-scale damage. There are also reports that around 30 missiles carrying cluster munitions warheads hit the local urban areas. Based on assessments by Israel Air Force intelligence, Israel believes that Iran currently still has about 1,000 ballistic missiles, which can directly threaten Israel’s homeland.

@CCTV correspondent Liang Hui:** The six-story residential building behind me is the one directly hit by Iran’s missiles this time. On the side facing the street that my finger is pointing to, we can see that the building hasn’t actually suffered much damage. But on this side, the buildings have almost been destroyed—we can’t see what it looked like originally at all.

CCTV correspondent Liang Hui: That’s because the warhead, weighing several hundred kilograms, did not explode when it fell; instead, it hit the side of the building at the back directly through physical impact, which is why we see this kind of scene. Right now, the warhead is still lodged under the rubble, so there is still a risk of an explosion. Local police told us that residents of this building and several surrounding buildings have been evacuated.

Israel Police Spokesperson Elsdun: What we are dealing with is a warhead that has not detonated. EOD experts need to conduct two preliminary assessments. The first assessment is to ensure that it is stable enough so we can carry out search and rescue operations. The second assessment will determine whether we need to detonate the warhead here.

CCTV correspondent Liang Hui: From the afternoon of April 5, this building was hit by a missile. Up until the morning of the 6th—around near midday—the four people trapped under the rubble were finally all found. These four people have already died.

CCTV correspondent Liang Hui: Now we can look at the location relationship of the site that was attacked. The direction I’m pointing is the building that was hit by the missile this time. And in the distance behind me, you can see that in that direction are the Haifa port, a power plant, and the Haifa airport, among others. The straight-line distance from where I’m standing now is only a few kilometers.

CCTV correspondent Liang Hui: We’ve noticed that in the early stage of the war, Iran’s missile attacks mainly targeted Tel Aviv and multiple locations in central Israel. But now, besides the locations mentioned earlier, Iran’s missiles have shifted their重点 targets as well, turning to the southern industrial cities and Haifa, the most important industrial city in northern Israel.

Israel says it will accelerate production of the “Arrow” interceptors

According to CGTN News, on April 6 the Israeli Ministry of Defense issued a statement saying it would accelerate production of the interceptor missiles used in the “Arrow” missile defense system and “prepare for the continuously changing battlefield situation.” In the statement, Israeli Defense Minister Katz said Israel currently has “enough” interceptors to protect the public, and that accelerated production is aimed at ensuring “sustained combat capability.”

According to earlier reports by Israeli and U.S. media, Israel’s interceptors are being rapidly depleted, with stocks “severely insufficient.” This problem had already existed before the joint U.S.-Israel military strikes against Iran on February 28, because Israel’s forces consumed a large number of interceptors during the military conflict with Iran last June, the so-called “12-Day War.”

Israel’s multi-layered defense system includes the “Arrow” system, which can intercept long-range ballistic missiles; the mid-range air-defense system “David’s Sling”; the short-range air-defense system “Iron Dome” and “Iron Beam.” Among them, the “Arrow” system jointly developed by the U.S. and Israel is the main force for countering Iran’s ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones.

According to a report by Agence France-Presse, the “Arrow-2” interceptor of the “Arrow” system can intercept both inside and outside the atmosphere. The “Arrow-3” interceptor is responsible for intercepting targets outside the atmosphere. The cost of a single “Arrow-2” and “Arrow-3” interceptor is about 1.5 million and 2 million U.S. dollars, respectively.

Israel announces it has stopped all defense procurement from France

On May 5 local time, this was learned by our reporter from the Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson: due to France taking multiple measures that “damage Israel’s security,” including banning Israeli military aircraft from using French airspace to carry out combat missions against Iran, the Israeli Ministry of Defense has stopped all defense procurement from France.

The spokesperson said that Israel is currently conducting military operations against Iran, while France is “actively obstructing the transfer of ammunition to Israel.” The spokesperson said that Iran’s ballistic missiles “have the capability to strike European cities, including Paris.”

The spokesperson said, “Despite prior coordination, despite clearly explaining that these munitions are only for Iran, and despite both sides understanding that this effort is also crucial to European security, France still implemented the ban.”

The spokesperson said that in response, the Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, Amir Baram, “has decided to reduce all defense procurement from France to zero,” replacing it with domestic procurement or procurement from “partner countries.” He added that this is part of a strategy to “fully establish national defense autonomy, not relying on untrusted countries.”

The spokesperson added that the Ministry of Defense has, together with the Israeli National Security Council, informed France’s Defense Minister Watlan that, “We do not plan to meet with them, and we will not conduct new business with the French military.”

France has not yet responded.

Source of this article: Economic Daily News

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