Israeli Strike Hits Plane Used by Khamenei at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport

Israel stated it destroyed an aircraft used by Iran’s leader at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport during a strike overnight on March 16, according to the Israel Defense Forces on X on March 16.

The Israeli military reported that the aircraft belonged to the Iranian leadership and was targeted in a focused overnight operation at the airport in the Iranian capital. It identified the plane as one used by Ali Khamenei and other senior Iranian officials.

According to the IDF, the aircraft was used by Iranian regime officials and military figures for weapons procurement and for maintaining ties with countries in the so-called “axis” through domestic and international flights.

Israel stated that destroying it would weaken Tehran’s ability to coordinate with allied states and expand its military power.

“The destruction of the aircraft harms the ability of the Iranian regime’s leadership to coordinate with the axis countries, build military power, and restore the regime’s capabilities,” the IDF wrote in its statement on X.

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The Israeli military described the plane as another strategic asset removed from Iran’s arsenal and indicated it would continue operations against Iranian military assets. The claim has not been independently verified in the provided source.

The development comes as Britain and other allies assess signs of deeper military coordination between Moscow and Tehran.

British officials warned Russia may be covertly helping Iran in its confrontation with the US and Israel, pointing to attack patterns that echo drone tactics honed during the war in Ukraine.

Particular attention centered on strikes against coalition bases in Iraq and Cyprus, where the methods reportedly resembled the kind of drone operations Russia has faced and refined against Ukraine.

For Britain, the warning underscores how Russia’s war on Ukraine continues to shape security crises far beyond the front, linking European combat experience to wider regional escalation.

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