Iran targets empty desert in Israel?

So the other day I was reading this article from Jerusalem Post. Iran's Tehran Times published a map of supposed targets that Iran would retaliate against if Israel attacked Iran. This part of the JPost article caught my eye:

Iran, it is suggested, would also fire missiles toward a slew of empty areas in the Negev Desert, although it is unclear why they would do so.

Now, you can't see that on the photo of the map that is included in the JPost article because it is cropped, but if you go to the Tehran Times' article you can see the whole map. Here is the full version. For those unfamiliar with the geography, the Negev Desert is, roughly speaking, the southern half of Israel:


Now, the version of the map from Tehran Times can't be zoomed much. You can't zoom way in and find the exact spot that each of those "target" pins is indicating. But you can go on Google maps and look at the general area where some of those pins are and some of them do indeed seem to be completely empty.

So what is going on here? I did read in the Wikipedia article about the Negev Desert that the IDF is constructing a few new facilities in the desert. Maybe the Google maps images are just old and don't include new construction and that is what Iran will be targeting? Did Iran just stick a bunch of pins on a map to look impressive? Does Iran know something we don't, as in there is something actually out there that isn't shown on the maps? What ya'll think?

ETA: As a side note, this situation is getting pretty serious and it's not getting a lot of attention in the news.

An Iranian attack on Israel is effectively national suicide and one less dangerous Muslim country, swiftly followed by any others that stupid enough to have the same idea. Israel is seriously tooled up and is strong enough to have no compunction about full spectrum retaliation.

a reply to: face23785
Iran, at the moment is acting like the big bully walking down the street bragging what he will do IF. Let me give Tehran a bit of advice:- stop poking the hornets nest cos sooner or later the little buggers WILL come out and sting you to death.
Iran thinks they are dealing with other desert dwellers. Non of the surrounding countries understand Israel will fight to the death and I mean fight, not the half ass "wars" "troubles" Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Afghan, Syria, Egypt or even Saudi Arabia. Slap one another and run away.
Israel and the Israeli people know (not believe) that their god gave them that country and woe betide ANY country that tries to take it off them.

a reply to: face23785

It seems the Jerusalem Post is a bit childish if it wants us to believe there is nothing of interest in the Negev Desert. Apart from Dimona Nuclear Facility, and the associated research labs scattered over the area, there are three main defense facilities quite southwards deep in the desert. They are not that secret.

On the other hand, ignoring the capabilities of the Iranians may relieve the average people, but certainly Iran is a serious threat, want it or not. There are no invincible armies anymore.

originally posted by: Granitebones
An Iranian attack on Israel is effectively national suicide and one less dangerous Muslim country, swiftly followed by any others that stupid enough to have the same idea. Israel is seriously tooled up and is strong enough to have no compunction about full spectrum retaliation.

It's would actually be quite the opposite.

Iran's strike would be a retaliatory strike, not a first strike. So far from being a suicide attack it would be ensuring that any attack against it would suicide for Israel.

Right now, Iran simply doesn't need to attack Israel. It would gain no tactical or political advantage. It doesn't need Israel's land or natural resources, Israel isn't an economic competitor either. In fact a destroyed Israel would be a martyr state which would mean that Iran couldn't use it for leverage anymore. Doing so would also force an American counter attack that would be devastating to Iran.

If anything, threatening to attack Israel, but not actually doing it, is what is keeping Iran safe. Nobody dares start a war with Iran because it will launch who knows what kind of chemical and biological weapons at Israel.

Washington can't move against Iran without Tel Aviv being turned into a wasteland.

originally posted by: crayzeed
a reply to: face23785
Iran, at the moment is acting like the big bully walking down the street bragging what he will do IF. Let me give Tehran a bit of advice:- stop poking the hornets nest cos sooner or later the little buggers WILL come out and sting you to death.
Iran thinks they are dealing with other desert dwellers. Non of the surrounding countries understand Israel will fight to the death and I mean fight, not the half ass "wars" "troubles" Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Afghan, Syria, Egypt or even Saudi Arabia. Slap one another and run away.
Israel and the Israeli people know (not believe) that their god gave them that country and woe betide ANY country that tries to take it off them.

I'm going to disagree with you there. Iran is the smaller, weaker, and poorer nation here. Facing off against both the US and Israel. Which are economically and militarily more powerful nations.

Far from being the bully, Iran is the small child that's picked up a big stick and us using it to fend of it's bullies.

Look at it this way, Iran has no military assets capable of striking at America, while America has enough firepower on Iran's doorstep to wipe it out a couple of times over. It's not threatening to attack, it's threatening to retaliate if it is attacked.

originally posted by: Direne
a reply to: face23785

It seems the Jerusalem Post is a bit childish if it wants us to believe there is nothing of interest in the Negev Desert. Apart from Dimona Nuclear Facility, and the associated research labs scattered over the area, there are three main defense facilities quite southwards deep in the desert. They are not that secret.

On the other hand, ignoring the capabilities of the Iranians may relieve the average people, but certainly Iran is a serious threat, want it or not. There are no invincible armies anymore.

Iran doesn't actually need to fight Israel on a military-military basis. It's primary defense is the threat of a scorched earth attack.

If Israel or the US were to move on Iran, Iran has about a gazillion missiles filled with nerve gas or other chemical or biological weapons that it could use to overwhelm Israeli air defenses and turn it's cities into something out of a Mad Max movie.

Iran has no intention on attacking first, it's going to wait until it's attacked and then respond, then claim that it was the victim of American and Israeli aggression.

China has a similar plan. Never attack first, possibly even put up no attempt to defend itself if it is attacked. Then once the world's attention is on the US, strike back.

Wait until they've punched you in the nose, then kick them in the crotch.

originally posted by: AaarghZombies

originally posted by: crayzeed
a reply to: face23785
Iran, at the moment is acting like the big bully walking down the street bragging what he will do IF. Let me give Tehran a bit of advice:- stop poking the hornets nest cos sooner or later the little buggers WILL come out and sting you to death.
Iran thinks they are dealing with other desert dwellers. Non of the surrounding countries understand Israel will fight to the death and I mean fight, not the half ass "wars" "troubles" Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Afghan, Syria, Egypt or even Saudi Arabia. Slap one another and run away.
Israel and the Israeli people know (not believe) that their god gave them that country and woe betide ANY country that tries to take it off them.

I'm going to disagree with you there. Iran is the smaller, weaker, and poorer nation here. Facing off against both the US and Israel. Which are economically and militarily more powerful nations.

Far from being the bully, Iran is the small child that's picked up a big stick and us using it to fend of it's bullies.

Look at it this way, Iran has no military assets capable of striking at America, while America has enough firepower on Iran's doorstep to wipe it out a couple of times over. It's not threatening to attack, it's threatening to retaliate if it is attacked.

So i guess all the IED.s terrorism attacks,funding of terrorism and attacking people on international waters and holding them ranson is just innocent pranks. Iran made itself a problem and they are responsible for their lot.

As to your post about the missiles trained on Isreal they do have extensive underground defenses and also have bio hazard suits,gas mask,and almost everyone has access to that stuff,and can wear it in minutes. All Iran does get if it does a bio attack it gets a blu nuke in tehran on a jet.

Not a launched nuke,but old style,to prevent a MAD scenario from missile launch.

There is so much wrong in these replies I don't even know where to start. Not sure why I thought I'd get intelligent discussion here.

a reply to: AaarghZombies

You haven't a clue.
Israel cannot rely on the US with the current Administration.
Israel knows that if Iran attacks, other Islamic Countries probably will as well.
If Israel gets pushed into a corner, they will launch an all out attack.
Israel has nuclear weapons. A lot of people don't know this but, the only thing keeping Israel from using those weapons in the past was the support of the US. The Progressive Liberals have eroded Israel's confidence in the US. If Iran pushes hard enough, Israel won't just attack it, they will remove anything that they see as a threat.

Israel presents absolutely no real-world threat to Iran.

the Muslim ideologues in Teheran want to destroy Israel for religious reasons.
I don't think the Mullahs care if half of Iran gets nuked.

Bible predicts an Iran invasion in Ezekiel 38. (Israel wins)

can't help but think Iran is emboldened with Biden &c in charge.

a reply to: ElGoobero

The thing is, a lot of people will scoff at what you just said. "Oh Iran wouldn't use nuclear or chem/biol weapons because that puts them at risk of getting nuked or decimated by a Western conventional attack like Iraq."

That's assuming the Iranian leaders are rational actors. In politics there's a paradigm known as Rational Actor Theory. When we're sitting here going "Iran won't do X because we would do Y," that assumes the Iranian leadership thinks the way we do.

The problem is not everyone thinks the way you or I do.

And even if they did, people make mistakes in these calculations. Take Saddam Hussein. As much of a brutal tyrant as he was, there's no evidence he was insane or irrational. His motivations were in doing what was in his own best interest. He just failed at that, with disastrous results.

In 1990 when he invaded Kuwait, he thought there would be no military reprisals by the West. If he thought for a moment his invasion of Kuwait would lead to a US-led coalition of 30 nations bombing his infrastructure into oblivion and reducing his army to a joke, he never would've invaded. Later, in 2002/3, his decisions about what was in his best interest led him to get invaded, deposed, and hanged to death.

Wars often start by miscalculation. What some of you here think Iran would or wouldn't do is irrelevant, because their leaders don't think the way you or I do. There isn't a lot of evidence that we're dealing with rational people in Iran's government.

ETA: All of this is actually off topic though.

Iran will not attack Israel unless its a last resort, to do so would be suicide.

All countries have plans to attack other countries; though a most highly unlikely scenario the US has plans to attack the UK if deemed necessary....and vice versa.

Iran is isolated.
It is surrounded by enemies.
Most other Muslim countries despise Iran possibly even more than Israel does....especially the single biggest funder and supporter of Islamic extremism and terrorism; Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia has even been quietly and discreetly cosying up to Israel.

That's not an excuse for many of Iran's actions, but part of the explanation.

Internal Iranian politics are a lot more complicated than many believe and various factions are constantly vying for influence, pretty much similar to most countries.
One big difference is that most of those factions are motivated by differing interpretations of fundamental Shia Islam.
Shia's believe in The Mahdi who is believed to be in 'occultation'.
en.wikipedia.org...#:~:text=The%20Mahdi%20(Arabic%3A%20%D9%B1%D9%84%D9%92%D9%85%D9%8E%D9%87%D9%92%D8%AF%D9%90%D9%8A%D9%91%E2%80%8E,wor ld%20of%20evil%20and%20injustice.
Most Shi'ites believe The Mahdi will reveal himself when 'the end of times' is upon us.
A small, but secretive yet committed minority faction - its rumoured that ex-President Ahmadinejad was/is one - believe that they should push the world to the brink thus forcing The Mahdi out of 'occultation' and bringing about 'the end of times'.

Fortunately they have been marginalised and hold very little power, at present...the time to worry is if they ever gain widescale influence and control in Iran.

I'm sure Israel and the world's 'superpowers' are aware of that and would take pre-emptive measures to ensure it didn't happen.

At present a far bigger threat to the world comes from Saudi Arabia and their seemingly never ending funding of extremist Sunni Islamic groups and organisations.

a reply to: face23785

Isdrael is one small place a place one gets feeling a little clostrophobic in............. Now for sure the military are targets then again a population expanding real quickly leaves nor so much for their bases. Then you get Negev so yoiu get deserts for building new stuff, what better place to store the good stuff than ion the ancient zone, nothing but Beduoins and Camels to see here. Well thats what theyd like us to thinkl yet do they really understand what's under the sands./ IDF heradquarters are right under Tel Aviv, mission control of Irans zionist entity of occupation sits right under Ben Jehuda yet no one sees whats going on down below............. So then you have 180 - 400 nukes and you want to keep them from under the peoples feet/ Best bet hide the bases in the dessolute zones, Negevs gonna fit that bill My only q is have Iranions got the spy network to figure this out and thats the 64 million question

originally posted by: Freeborn

At present a far bigger threat to the world comes from Saudi Arabia and their seemingly never ending funding of extremist Sunni Islamic groups and organisations.

I have to disagree. The big difference between Saudi Arabia and Iran is that Saudi Arabia's government's official policy is not to fund terrorism. Iran's is. Rich Saudi citizens funding terrorism isn't quite the same as the government of Iran openly funneling money and military equipment to terrorist groups.

And Saudi Arabia has no nuclear program. Iran does. In the 90s, it was universally agreed that one of the biggest dangers the world may face post-Cold-War was the marriage of Islamic extremism with weapons of mass destruction. Right now, Iran is a much bigger threat to do that than Saudi Arabia is.

a reply to: ufoorbhunter

Kudos for being the first person to actually reply to the subject matter of the OP, although I'm having a hard time following you. Potential bases out there was one of the ideas I had as well, with the obvious question of yes, does Iran know about them?

a reply to: face23785

I have to disagree.

The big difference between Saudi Arabia and Iran is that Saudi Arabia's government's official policy is not to fund terrorism. Iran's is. Rich Saudi citizens funding terrorism isn't quite the same as the government of Iran openly funneling money and military equipment to terrorist groups.

Almost every single 'Mosque found to be teaching and spreading Islamic fundamentalism in Western Europe - and there are quite a few - has been funded from Saudi Arabia.
These Mosques have produced numerous 'domestic terrorists'.
Funding for foreign terrorist training camps comes from within Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi Royal Family only rules thanks to their arrangement with Wahhabi's.
Wahhabi's fund both funded and inspired almost every single Islamic terror cell discovered in the UK/Europe.

Wahhabi's fund extremist groups throughout Asia, the Middle East, Africa and North America.

I'm sure we are all familiar with the 'Follow the Money' maxim.....if we do it nearly always ends up in Saudi Arabia.

And Saudi Arabia has no nuclear program. Iran does.

There are many rumours that Saudi Arabia does in fact have some sort of limited nuclear capacity and is capable of striking against Iran and other countries in the region.
I'm not entirely sure that's true....but it certainly wouldn't surprise me.
And it certainly wouldn't surprise me if TPTB here in 'the west' turned a blind eye to it considering their nefarious relationship with the Saud family.

In the 90s, it was universally agreed that one of the biggest dangers the world may face post-Cold-War was the marriage of Islamic extremism with weapons of mass destruction.

And look at the veracity of that and where it led to.
The WMD argument has very little credibility nowadays.
And let's face it, if 'we' thought that threat was viable and imminent 'we' could eliminate it quite easily without massive ground troops etc.

Right now, Iran is a much bigger threat to do that than Saudi Arabia is.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Iran poses no threat and nor am I excusing some of its appalling domestic policies and actions on the world stage.

Saudi Arabia and Iran seem content to air their differences through proxy wars at present and very minor skirmishes.
Male no mistake, there is true mutual hatred between these two.
And large scale widespread open conflict between them would pose a massive threat.
Such would be the almost overwhelming alliance against Iran that I'm not sure how they would react.....nor am I quite sure how China would too.

Let's hope we never find out.

I sort of took it as a given that anyone who read the article and more importantly has even a modicum of understanding of the situation would understand why desert areas in Israel would be 'targeted'.

originally posted by: crayzeed
a reply to: face23785
Israel and the Israeli people know (not believe) that their god gave them that country and woe betide ANY country that tries to take it off them.

Well Odin gave me the world so there! Israel’s part of the world and therefore by the same logic I am entitled to take it by force because my God said so.

a reply to: IAMALLYETALLIAM

A unarmed australian. good luck.

Israel will wipe the floor with Iran.

It’s not a matter of if it will happen but more a matter of when.