A video released by Israel's military of the rapidly escalating confrontation between Israel and Iran shows what Israeli officials say was a strike on Iranian soldiers attempting to activate an air defence system.
The 12-second footage, shared online by the Israeli Air Force, shows three figures moving across open ground moments before a projectile strikes them. The video ends abruptly after the impact.
Israel said the soldiers were part of Iran's defence network and were targeted to prevent attacks on Israeli aircraft.
כלי טיס של חיל-האוויר תקפו וסיכלו חוליית חיילים ממערך ההגנה של משטר הטרור האיראני בזמן שניסו להפעיל מערכות הגנה נגד כוחותינו.
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) March 2, 2026
צה"ל לא יאפשר למשטר הטרור האיראני להפעיל מערכות הגנה על מנת לפגוע במטוסי חיל האוויר וימשיך לתקוף ניסיונות לחמש את משגרי הטילים.
במקביל חיל-האוויר ממשיך… pic.twitter.com/1QKF6SOSw5
Posting alongside the footage on X, the Israeli Air Force said, "An Air Force aircraft attacked and neutralised a squad of soldiers from the Iranian terror regime's defence array while they were attempting to activate defence systems against our forces."
"The IDF will not allow the Iranian terror regime to activate defence systems in order to strike Air Force aircraft and will continue to attack attempts to arm missile launchers. Meanwhile, the Air Force continues to strike sites of fire arrays and ballistic missile launchers in Iranian territory," the statement added.
Joint United States and Israeli strikes on Iran over the weekend triggered immediate retaliation from Tehran, which launched missiles and armed drones toward Tel Aviv and American military positions across West Asia.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed on the first day of the strikes.
Explosions were reported across several cities as Iranian retaliation entered its third day, surprising military observers with both scale and coordination.
Black smoke was seen rising from the United States embassy compound in Kuwait City, according to reports, though officials have not confirmed the cause or reported casualties.
Authorities say at least five people have been killed across the Gulf since the escalation began, including one fatality reported in Kuwait.
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