Israel strike caught Iran off guard, disrupted missile plan: Report

The New York Times was allegedly told by Iranian officials that Israel’s surprise air strike on Thursday night significantly disrupted Tehran’s planned military response.

According to the report, Iran initially intended to fire up to 1,000 ballistic missiles at Israel to overwhelm its air defences and cause maximum damage.

Two members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the Israeli attack on missile facilities prevented forces from retrieving and positioning the weapons for launch. 

The officials admitted they had disregarded safety protocols, including avoiding large gatherings, because they believed any Israeli response would come only after upcoming nuclear talks with the United States set for Sunday.

The newspaper said it interviewed more than six Iranian officials, including two IRGC members, to compile its report. The NYT report could not be independently verified.