Explosion at Iran drone factory injures nine workers after Israel accused Tehran of arming Hamas militants
A MAJOR explosion at a drone factory in Iran has injured nine workers just days after Israel accused Tehran of providing support to Hamas.
The unexplained blast in Isfahan comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu branded Tehran "patrons of terror".
Netanyahu made the comments after claiming Iranian forces launched an armed suicide drone into Israel.
Iran has been accused of arming Hamas militants in Gaza during the recent 11-day conflict by helping develop deadly missiles to strike targets deep inside Israel.
At the weekend, an explosion was reported at the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company, which produces different aircrafts and drones for Iranian and pro-Iranian forces, reports the
No information on the cause of the blast has been revealed, but Netanyahu has been vocal in accusing Tehran of aiding Hamas.
“Iran not only supports completely the Islamic Jihad in Gaza, and gives them all the finance, they also give weapons to Hamas as well as to Hezbollah and they provide the scaffolding on which these organisations really work,” he stated.
On Thursday, Netanyahu showed off the remains of what he claimed to be an Iranian drone laden with explosives that had been intercepted at the border
He said he believed it was launched from either Iraq or Syria after being brought down by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the early hours of Tuesday morning as it approached the Israeli-Jordanian border.
"While we were engaged in these hostilities a few days ago, Iran sent an armed drone from Iraq or from Syria,” he said, speaking at a press conference alongside German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.
“Iranian forces launched an armed drone, which our forces intercepted on the border between Israel and Jordan.
“I think says everything on the true patron of terror in the Middle East and in the world: Iran.”
IDF forces collected fragments from the destroyed aircraft to examine after residents of the city of Beit She'an were ordered to lock themselves in their homes.
According to Western intelligence officials, assistance from Iran played a key role in helping the militant Palestinian group Hamas to develop a deadly weapons arsenal.
Officials believe the technological assistance has resulted in a significant improvement in the terrorist organisation’s ability to strike targets deep inside Israel, and has contributed to the death of dozens of people.
The weapons were thought to be manufactured in Gaza, based on an Iranian design.
Meanwhile, experts have said that Israel's Iron Dome defence system was "severely tested" by drones designed and supplied by Iran, reports
It was put under strain by having to quickly readjust its defences to pick up threats of low-flying drones while trying to intercept Hamas missiles.
According to experts, if Hezbollah had become involved and used its satellite-guided missiles developed by Iran, the Iron Dome could have buckled.
“With Iran’s help, Hamas has developed quite a large number of not terribly expensive munitions, which can be sent to hit fixed targets at long range,” Justin Bronk, of the Royal United Services Institute think tank in London, said.
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“The Iranians will have given them some initial examples, as well as training manuals on how to construct them.
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"Once you've transferred that expertise, because they are relatively low-tech, Hamas has become pretty proficient at manufacturing their own in Gaza.”
Israel is now said to be "putting a lot of money" into developing lasers and other high-powered weaponry to shoot down drones, Douglas Barrie, of the International Institute for Strategic Studies told the National.