Emily Rose
JERUSALEM, March 13 (Reuters) – Israel has launched a new phase of attacks on Iran, based on tips from local informants, targeting checkpoints manned by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a source with knowledge of Israeli military strategy told Reuters.
The targeting of checkpoints controlled by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps personnel shows that Israel is intensifying its efforts to weaken Iran’s elite forces as it conducts joint aerial bombardments with the United States.
Israel says its war goals include destroying Iran’s military and nuclear capabilities but also “creating the conditions” for the Iranians to overthrow the government, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that is an uncertain prospect.
There are no signs of organized dissent or of Iran’s rulers relinquishing power as the country comes under attack.
On Thursday, the Israeli military said it attacked a Tehran checkpoint controlled by the Basij, a part-time paramilitary force under the control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that is often used to quell protests in Iran.
The source, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, said local informants in Tehran had passed intelligence to Israel on the locations of three checkpoints that had been attacked in the past three days. The source could not confirm whether these included Basij’s position mentioned by the military.
The Wall Street Journal first reported on the use of informants to identify checkpoint locations.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Reporting by Emily Rose; Editing by Rami Ayoub and Peter Graf)
