Satellite imagery appears to show that there was an apparent Israeli attack on the Isfahan air defense radar.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Contrary to Tehrani officials' repeated denials of any damage caused by the attack, satellite images taken on Monday appear to show an apparent Israeli retaliatory strike targeting Iran's central city of Isfahan struck a radar system for a Russian-made air defense battery.

The Israelis appear to have carried out a relatively limited strike on an S-300 radar, but the damage they caused would have been far greater than that caused by Iran's massive drone and missile attack against Israel on April 13. That could be the reason for the attempts by Iranian authorities, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to downplay discussions about what the attack actually accomplished on Iranian soil.

Analysts surmise that while the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip continues to rage and inflame the wider region, both Iran and Israel, the region's archrivals engaged in a protracted shadow war, are now attempting to defuse tensions after a string of escalating attacks. However, experts argue that targeting Iran's most sophisticated air defense system, which it uses to defend its nuclear sites, would send a message.

The strike demonstrates Israel's capacity to breach Iran's air defense systems, according to Nicole Grajewski, a fellow in the nuclear policy program at the Carnegie Endowment and author of a book on Russia and Iran that will be published soon. "Its accuracy was very impressive."

An area close to the dual-use airport and air base in Isfahan, about 320 kilometers (200 miles) south of Tehran, was visible in satellite photos taken by Planet Labs PBC on Monday morning. These images served as a deployment point for the air defense system. Burn marks surround what experts, such as consultant and former government imagery analyst Chris Biggers, had previously determined to be an S-300 "flap-lid" radar system.

Similar burn marks could be seen surrounding the area in less detailed satellite photos obtained after Friday, though it was unclear what was at the site. Biggers claimed that despite offering defensive cover for Iran's underground nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz, some missile system components seemed to have been removed from the site.

Biggers wrote, "Considering the system, the location, and how they use it, that's a powerful statement."

Iran's air defenses came into action on Friday, causing a nationwide suspension of commercial flights. Following the incident, officials made an effort to minimize the attack by characterizing it as nothing more than a few tiny drones passing through the sky.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian asserted in an interview with NBC News that "what happened... was not a strike." "They weren't drones; they were more like toys that our kids play with."

But after the attack, Iraqis discovered what looked to be surface-to-air missile debris south of Baghdad. This, along with an alleged Israeli attack on a Syrian radar station that same day, raises the possibility that Israeli fighter jets crossed into Iraq from Syria before firing so-called "standoff missiles" into Iran in preparation for the Isfahan attack. It's possible that Israel has also launched smaller, closer drones; it has been successful in launching sabotage missions and other operations inside Iran.

However, Tehran denied again on Monday, according to spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry Nasser Kanaani.

At a press conference, Kanaani informed reporters, "Relevant authorities have announced that this harassment attack has caused no damage whatsoever and Iran's defensive system has carried out their duties." Therefore, we don't think it's worth addressing this issue.

The S-300 and its years-long delivery delay to Iran demonstrate the difficulty Tehran faces importing any advanced weaponry produced abroad. A $800 million deal between Russia and Iran was first made in 2007, but due to strong opposition from the US and Israel, Moscow suspended the delivery of the goods three years later.

Following Iran's 2015 nuclear agreement with major powers, Russia reportedly unfroze the agreement and provided Iran with four sets of the S-300 export version.

Russia and Iran have developed a closer relationship in recent years. As part of its offensive against Ukraine, Moscow primarily uses Iran's bomb-carrying Shahed drones to target locations throughout the nation. The attack on Israel by the Islamic Republic was carried out by those same drones.

In the meantime, Tehran has frequently stated in recent years that it is attempting to acquire Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter aircraft in order to upgrade its aging fighter fleet. Iran began using a combat trainer aircraft built in Russia, the YAK-130, in September. Pilots can receive training for the Su-35 using that model.

Although Russia now possesses the S-400, one of the most effective air defense weapons in the world is still the S-300, which can track and strike multiple targets at once and has a range of up to 200 kilometers (125 miles). Both aircraft and missiles can be brought down with the batteries.

According to Grajewski, Iran will probably need Russian help to fix the damaged radar and will eventually look for newer weapons.

She said, "Iran wants to show that it's not so isolated, so it wants new weapons from Russia all the time."