IDF spokesperson Effie Defrin gave a brief update to the media on Monday following the heavy barrage early in the morning that left eight people dead and hundreds injured.

“We are succeeding in thwarting large parts of the Iranian fire,” Defrin said. “Tonight, 65 missiles and dozens of drones were fired—most of them were intercepted by our defense systems.”

Nonetheless, he acknowledged the night’s tragic toll. “This is the face of the Iranian terror regime,” Defrin said. “They are firing at population centers.”

Defrin emphasized that “we are succeeding in thwarting most launches” and added that every such event is thoroughly investigated: “The instructions save lives, and we receive evidence of this time and time again.”

He added, “We’ve achieved complete air superiority in the skies of Tehran—capabilities that we had in Gaza, Lebanon, and Yehuda and Shomron, we now have in Iran.”

Defrin confirmed that the IDF eliminated the head of the Revolutionary Guards intelligence organization and his deputy and the head of the Quds Force intelligence organization and his deputy.

He added that the Air Force completed several waves of attacks overnight, striking about 100 military targets in Isfahan, in central Iran.

Approximately 50 fighter jets and aircraft identified and attacked missile storage sites, surface-to-surface missile launchers that were ready to be launched towards Israel, and command centers where launching teams were preparing to fire towards Israel.

In these attacks, more than 20 missiles were destroyed simultaneously, minutes before they were launched towards the Israeli home front.

In one of the attacks, a launching team was identified during attempts to launch surface-to-surface missiles towards Israel. The Air Force eliminated the launching team in real-time and the missiles were destroyed.

The IDF attacked 20 Iranian army and Quds Force command centers, which were deliberately hidden in high-rise buildings, along with extensive attacks throughout Iran on Sunday evening.

“We destroyed a third of the Iranian regime’s missile launchers, which caused them to only be able to launch half of the missiles they planned,” he said. “Everything adds up to a deep and broad blow to the Iranian threat.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)