Iran conducted air defense exercises on Saturday amid heightened tensions with Israel and the United States, particularly with the impending inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
The drills, part of a two-month-long series of military exercises, featured simulations aimed at protecting key sites like the Natanz nuclear facility from missile and drone attacks. During the exercises, Iran deployed new drones and missiles to practice responses to air, missile, and electronic warfare threats.
⚡️Iran has released images of recent air defense exercises near the Natanz nuclear facility, showcasing the “358” Loitering SAM missile, which has previously shot down numerous US MQ-9 Reaper drones in Yemen. pic.twitter.com/UKLq9bLIly
— Islamic Republic of Iran (@IRIran_official) January 9, 2025
The military exercises were conducted a day after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) released footage of Iran’s massive underground missile production facility called “missile city.”
#بالفيديو | حرس الثورة الإيراني يكشف النقاب عن مدينة صاروخية جديدة في #إيران.#الميادين pic.twitter.com/cFvMuOY4bf
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) January 12, 2025
IRGC Commander Major General Hossein Salami asserted that Iran’s missile production capabilities are increasing despite claims to the contrary by its adversaries.
Salami emphasized that Iran would respond to any attacks with precision and decisiveness, stating: We act on time and at the proper level.”
“We have never relied on any power outside of the system to defend our independence, identity, credit, and power,” Salami also said.
Analysts suggest that tensions between Iran and the West could intensify with Trump’s return to the White House later this month.
Aside from exiting the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Trump initiated a “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran during his first term. He also ordered the assassination of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in 2020, pushing the two nations to the brink of all-out war.
Meanwhile, recent Israeli operations targeted Iranian military infrastructure and missile sites, including an Iranian-built facility in Syria.
