Images Show Devastation at Iran Base After Blast

NY Times ^ | November 29, 2011 | WILLIAM J. BROAD

[neverdem]

The large, deadly explosion at an Iran military base in Iran on Nov. 12, which Iranian authorities have called an accident that set back research work there by a few days, appears to have been far more devastating than their description suggested, according to an analysis of newly released commercial satellite images of the blast site.

The images reveal vast destruction and chaotic disarray across a sprawling complex composed of more than a dozen buildings and large structures.

The Institute for Science and International Security, a private group in Washington, made the satellite images public Monday, along with an analysis of the damage. “It was pretty amazing to see that the entire facility was destroyed,” Paul Brannan, the report’s author, said Tuesday in an interview. “There were only a few buildings left standing.”

It was impossible to determine from the images whether the explosion had been a simple accident or an act of sabotage.

The force of the explosion was so great that it shook windows in many surrounding towns, according to Iranian news sites and witnesses quoted at the time. But no photographs of the blast damage were released by the Iranian government, which has become increasingly sensitive about its military capabilities as tensions escalate with the West over its missile and nuclear programs.

The base, set in an isolated patch of Iranian desert ringed by a security cordon, is about 30 miles west of Tehran and three miles west of the town of Bidganeh.

The explosion is already known to have killed 17 members of the armed forces, including a founder of the country’s missile program, Gen. Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam.

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, presided over a vast state funeral for General Moghaddam and 16 other members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps two days after...

[neverdem]

DigitalGlobe, via Institute for Science and International Security
A commercial satellite image of a military base in Iran taken after a deadly explosion.

DigitalGlobe, via Institute for Science and International Security
A commercial satellite image taken approximately two months before the explosion.

[expat1000]

I definitely like the “after” photo more. Need some more of those around Iran!

[SatinDoll]

I see that six or seven building have been obliterated. Whatever caused that explosion sure did a great deal of damage.

[John Valentine]

This looks like the result of several individual explosions as each building seems to have debris scattered radially.

[D-fendr]

Merely a guess, but I suspect Stuxnet V 2.0

[TChad]

I definitely like the “after” photo more.

Those Israeli landscape architects can work miracles.

[MetaThought]

That doesn’t seem so likely. Does Iran use SCADA for gas pipelines?

I don’t see how else this could caused by something like stuxnet.

[org.whodat]

Building top left. Where event occurred. Do not check to see if wire is hot by grounding with screw driver. That is what the warning label said.

[expat1000]

you bet! :-)

Israeli secret service the Mossad linked to Iran military blast

[CitizenUSA]

It’s purely coincidence that six or more buildings blew up simultaneously. What a bad run of luck for the Iranians...

[VeniVidiVici]

[Mr Ramsbotham]

This looks like the result of several individual explosions as each building seems to have debris scattered radially.

That was my thought, too. It doesn't really have the look of a single, accidental explosion. If it's the work of Israel, the Iranians probably don't want to admit it, nor admit that they're powerless to retaliate in kind.

[ccmay]

Well I'm impressed. If this was in fact the Israelis, either they have stealth technology or some superb new cruise missile. Good job by whomever was responsible.

[Never A Dull Moment]

Ah... Mossad....they are so efficient.....and thorough. It warms the cockels of one’s Jewish heart......

[SERE_DOC]

opps! that's going to leave a mark!

And quite frankly it sure sucks to be them!

[SatinDoll]

Yes, I noticed that building was, ahem, gone.

[eCSMaster]

Gee, I wonder how many Iranian nuke scientists/technicians were killed in that blast?

(tee-hee!)

[mazda77]

35°37′29.68″N 50°52′33.1″E Yep, I agree with the others that these were separate explosions originated in each of the buildings. What is most curious is the building at the upper left appears to have been totally vaporized. Maybe that was the origin and the others were secondary but being that other buildings seemingly survived intact would counter that possibility. I'll have to go along and say sabotage.

[21twelve]

It almost looks like on the “less damaged” buildings the debris is to the left. (Not sure if that would be west or not). Would be interesting to look at this on Google Earth to see if a missle or plane route from the right side of the photo might be logical.

Too bad with all of the accurate stuff at hand nowadays - no bomb craters nearby to give an idea if it was several warheads or not.

[fso301]

An explosion in one building occurred causing sympathetic explosions in other buildings. Doesn’t look like a significant setback.

[org.whodat]

Bull crap, it would have been the first bomb in the history of bombs that left no crater. Ground level explosion on concrete pad.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Good show, to whomever got in there and did the trick. Spectacular. They will win a nice, shiny award, but will never be able to show it off outside of the confines of their organization no doubt. Hip Hip Hooray!

[Dixie Yooper]

Does Carl Rove still have his weather machine? Bush didn’t call him a magnificent bastard for nothing...

[aces]

can we say pulse weaponry? hmmmmmm...just break out the hoodoo on the Islamos and tell them God did it through the newly discovered ark of the covenant..on His own...

[expat1000]

An explosion in one building occurred causing sympathetic explosions in other buildings.

Sympathetic explosions of what, in every single other bulding? That doesn't even match the official Iranian position

...saying that it happened while ammunitions were being moved.

[Steely Tom]

Wow. Amazing amount of damage.

Here's an Israeli reaction:

"Not every explosion over there should be tied to reconnaissance and stories from the movies," Dan Meridor, Israel's minister for intelligence and atomic matters, told Army Radio. Saying, "it isn't right to expand on this topic," Meridor nonetheless went on to acknowledge that espionage has set back Iran's nuclear program. "There are countries who impose economic sanctions and there are countries who act in other ways," Meridor said.

The lack of craters is very curious to me. The "after" picture was apparantly taken ten days after the -- ahh -- "event." The Iranians might have filled in any craters during that time, as a face-saving gesture.

But other, more interesting explanations come to mind as well.

[mazda77]

There was another one yesterday, reportedly bigger, near Isfahan. Maybe it was their ground fleet of F-14’s that are now ready for the Alcoa recycling plant.

[StAnDeliver]

"can we say pulse weaponry?"

Or tungsten blade.

[aces]

interesting..thanks..

[StAnDeliver]

High explosives (ammo, my azz) - either missle parts or compression chamber.

Israel loudly rattles the sabre two weeks ago....

[aruanan]

A commercial satellite image of a military base in Iran taken after a deadly explosion.

Shouldn't that read, "after at least 7 deadly explosions"?

[Bender2]

Well I see... what looks like a crater there.

Of course, that may just be... where the outhouse pit was--

[roaddog727]

Indeed.

1) Separate explosions with radial debris fields

2) NO noticable cratering.

Hmmmmmmmm.

Busy bees at work.......... :-)

[bkopto]

"Not every explosion over there should be tied to reconnaissance and stories from the movies," Dan Meridor

haaahaaaahaahaahaaahaa. Danny boy, you are da man!

Yup, it blowed up real good!

[Elsie]

It was impossible to determine from the images whether the explosion had been a simple accident or an act of sabotage.

[org.whodat]

No, not big enough, to cause that kind of damage it would be a big damn hole.

[John123]

Hey, the soccer field is still there...

[Elsie]

All your base are belong to us

[Elsie]

35°37′29.68″N 50°52′33.10″E Nope - 8.7 miles NORTH of this location

[Elsie]

Is it really wise to put these BULL’s eyes on the ground??

33 46’ 35”
51 50’ 41”

[Elsie]

Hey, the soccer field is still there...

It appeared between 7-7-2009 and 5-3-2010

[ScottinVA]

Nicely done!!!

[Yehuda]

"I don’t see how else this could caused by something like stuxnet."

Shhhh... MATZA-NET...

[Yehuda]

That far-left Guardian story is based on / acknowledges the source from a jino-scum-sucking traitor whose headline and lead are as follows:

MOSSAD-MEK MAY HAVE BOMBED IRANIAN MISSILE BASE, 40 DEAD AND WOUNDED

The face of the Israeli terror machine may have reared its ugly head again in the world. This time it may have produced yet another massive act of sabotage (Hebrew original) at an IRG missile base west of Teheran...

Of course the sock-chucking, treasonous viper pulled it from a story on Y-Net that only sourced a FORMER MEK spokesman and made no mention of Israeli involvement.

Irony of ironies, the Left laming Israel will freak out their jihadi-fascist allies in Iran.

[OB1kNOb]

[no-s]

Israeli landscape architects

ROTFL!

[ncfool]

G-D Bless whoever created this mess! If it was Israel then AM ISRAEL CHAI!

[montyspython]

I was thinking the same thing...

Those silly Israelis...

[dfwgator]

"He blowed up real good."

[Mashood]

Air/fuel bomb... something like the Henderson, Nevada missle fuel explosion in ‘88.