Iran should question effectiveness of weapons after attack on Israel: US defense chief

WASHINGTON

Iran should question the effectiveness of its weapons systems, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Friday.

"A lot of things have been learned," Austin told reporters when asked what was learned following Iran's attack on Israel earlier this month.

"What the Iranians learn, I'm not really sure, but what they should learn is that first of all, their systems don't work as advertised, that they employ a lot of munitions, with the intent on creating significant damage in Israel, and none of that work," he added.

Iran on April 14 launched an airborne attack on Israel in retaliation for an earlier airstrike on its diplomatic compound in the Syrian capital. Tehran reportedly fired more than 300 drones and missiles, with almost all intercepted by the air defense systems of Israel and its allies – the US, France, and the UK.

"They (Iran) should be questioning the effectiveness of their weapons systems and their planning.

"Hopefully, they don't walk away from this overconfident that they can do this at will, because I think Israel has demonstrated that it has a significant ability to defend itself," Austin said.