Israel: "Eliminate the air defenses and missile capability of Iran"

The words of the Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Eyal Zamir, marked a decisive turning point in the Middle Eastern landscape. "Israel has suppressed the Iranian ballistic missile system. Now we move on to the next phase", he proclaimed from Tel Aviv. The numbers provided outline a deeply changed strategic picture: in just 24 hours, Israel has destroyed 80% of Iranian air defenses and neutralized over 60% of ballistic missile launchers. An announcement that, made by a key figure like Zamir – at the helm of the IDF since 2025 and a specialist in multi-domain warfare – certifies the achievement of a "virtually total air superiority" over Iran.

The Israeli bulletin rests on three fundamental directives: suppressing the ballistic threat, devastating air defenses (IADS), and controlling the skies. The neutralization of over 60% of launchers was not limited to mobile systems and silos, but has fundamentally undermined Tehran's ability to sustain prolonged salvos. The military operation aimed to cut the very "industrial roots" of the missile program, targeting assembly lines, depots, and critical hubs, such as those located in the Qom area. The declared objective by Israel, supported by an impressive volume of over 1,000 sorties in three days, is to drastically turn back the clock on Iran's military potential, pushing well beyond the results achieved in the previous conflict of June 2025.

To ensure broad freedom of action for its fighters, such as the modern F-35I, the Israeli Air Force conducted a massive and lethal SEAD/DEAD (Suppression and Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses) campaign aimed at "blinding" the radars. Iran had a complex defensive mosaic, which even included elements of the sophisticated Russian S-300 systems. The destruction of 80% of these defenses in the first 48-72 hours represents a total functional decapitation of the air defense network in the most critical areas of the country. In addition to surface-to-air missiles, the IDF also preemptively struck Tehran's aviation: independent analyses document the ground destruction of F-4 and F-5 fighters at the Tabriz base, thus limiting tactical interception attempts at their root.

Despite the clear operational success, "air superiority" does not equate to invulnerable supremacy. This condition guarantees a very high degree of freedom of action with extremely limited risks, but it does not completely eliminate the threat. Residual attacks conducted with drones, ballistic missiles, or cruise missiles can still penetrate allied defenses, albeit without managing to alter the overall balance of forces in the field. However, having "paved the way for Tehran" constitutes an operational milestone of monumental proportions. With defenses decimated and complex missile logistics compromised, Iran now finds itself deeply exposed. The question dominating military intelligence discussions now concerns the next moves: while Israeli jets patrol the Persian skies uncontested, it remains to be seen what the ultimate targets of this impending "next phase" will be.