TEHRAN (Realist English). A senior Iranian commander has said that Iran activated less than five percent of its defensive power in retaliatory strikes against Israel during the latter’s recent offensive, warning that the Islamic Republic’s principal military capabilities remain untouched.
Speaking in a televised interview on Saturday, Brigadier General Mohammad-Reza Naghdi, deputy commander for coordination of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), said:
“Less than five percent of our country’s defensive capacity was actually activated… and by ‘activated,’ I do not mean ‘spent.’ It merely means that five percent of our defense units became engaged with the enemy.”
Naghdi stressed that Iran’s main forces have “yet to reveal themselves”, adding, “We are well-equipped to fight. Perhaps we could keep attacking the enemy like this for several years, striking them with missiles at this same pace.”
Iran launched a barrage of ballistic and hypersonic missiles at Israeli military, nuclear, and industrial sites after Israel began hostilities on June 13. Despite US assistance — including the deployment of two advanced THAAD missile platforms reportedly costing Washington $800 million in 12 days — Iranian strikes caused extensive damage, according to footage and reports in Israeli media.
Military analysts said Iran’s response primarily involved its air defense systems, with ground forces and other capabilities remaining largely in reserve.
Naghdi’s comments come as tensions remain high in the region, with both sides assessing the aftermath of the most intense confrontation between Tehran and Tel Aviv in years.
