During a bombing of Tehran's airport, Israel hit an Airbus A340-300 that served the Iranian government's logistical and diplomatic coordination
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed the destruction of a VIP transport aircraft used by the Iranian regime’s top brass during a bombing of Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport in the early hours of Monday (16). The attack hit the Airbus A340-300 that served as the country’s “Air Force One”, representing an operational and symbolic blow to the government of Mojtaba Khamenei amid the escalation of the regional conflict.
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The destroyed aircraft, registration EP-AJA, was a quadrijet configured for long-distance missions and transport of high-ranking authorities. Manufactured in 1999 and originally operated by commercial companies before being incorporated into the government fleet, the jet functioned as a flying command center. The asset was central to the regime’s logistics for coordinating with regional allies and for procuring military supplies abroad.
Although the current supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was not on board — he has kept his whereabouts unknown since taking power a week ago — Isreal says the neutralization of the plane is aimed at dismantling the Iranian leadership’s ability to communicate and command. The bombing also seeks to limit efforts to restore the country’s military capabilities, directly hitting the prestige of Tehran’s official fleet.
Mehrabad Airport, a vital logistics hub in the Iranian capital, had already suffered attacks on March 6. This new coup, however, deepens the crisis that began with the death of Ali Khamenei on February 28. Since the succession, the conflict has evolved into open warfare, with daily Israeli and U.S. airstrikes on Iranian cities, while Tehran retaliates with bombings of U.S. bases in the Middle East.
To date, the Iranian government has not officially confirmed the loss of the strategic aircraft and there is no detailed information on casualties resulting from this particular incursion. The destruction of the Airbus, however, is seen by analysts as a clear message from Israel about its ability to strike at the logistical heart of power in Tehran.
