Satellite image shows damage to Iran missile base

Satellite image of the Nov. 12 explosion in Iran surfaces; New explosion reported in Iranian city of Isfahan.

By YAAKOV KATZ
Iran nuclear satellite image-missile base 311 (illustrative) (photo credit: DigitalGlobe - Institute for Science and Internati)
Iran nuclear satellite image-missile base 311 (illustrative)
(photo credit: DigitalGlobe - Institute for Science and Internati)
Satellite footage of the Iranian military base where a large explosion occurred earlier this month shows extensive damage to a number of buildings within the compound. The footage was obtained by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), a Washington DC-based think tank.
Another explosion was reported Monday night in the town of Isfahan which is home to a key Iranian nuclear facility. The cause of the explosion and the target were unknown.
Satelite image of Iranian base (DigitalGlobe - Institute for Science and International Security).
Satelite image of Iranian base (DigitalGlobe - Institute for Science and International Security).
Two weeks ago, on November 12, an explosion rocked an Iranian military base near the town of Bid Kaneh, killing Major General Hassan Moghaddam, chief architect of the Islamic Republic’s ballistic missile program. Some media reports have claimed that the Israeli Mossad was behind the blast.
Speaking to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday, head of the Military Intelligence Research Directorate Brig.-Gen. Itay Brun said that the blast at the missile base could delay Teheran’s development of long-range missiles.
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"The explosion at the site to develop surface-to-surface missiles could stop or delay activities on that track and in that location, but we must emphasize that Iran has other development tracks in addition to that facility,” Brun said.
The ISIS satellite footage shows extensive damage at the Bid Kaneh base. It said that the blast was caused as Iran was apparently performing a procedure involving an engine for a new missile.
Compared to an earlier satellite image of the site, the image taken after the blast on November 22 shows damages to most of the buildings in the base and some completely destroyed.  ISIS said that some of the destruction could have been the result of subsequent controlled demolition of buildings and the removal of debris.