Israel claims to have complete control over the airspace of Tehran. The recent capability of the Israeli Air Force to execute numerous strikes over the capital in recent days suggests that this assertion holds considerable weight.
Israeli jets have been deploying guided bombs at a relatively short distance. In essence, it eliminates the need to depend on long-range stand-off munitions such as cruise missiles.
The limited number of aging fighter jets in Iran has not presented a significant challenge. Prior to the recent Israeli assault on Iran’s nuclear program, Israel had already dismantled a considerable portion of Iran’s air defense systems.
In October of the previous year, Israel launched an attack aimed at Iran’s long-range S300 missile systems, which Russia designs. In the most recent offensive, Israeli forces have persisted in targeting air defense radar systems and launchers.
Justin Bronk, an expert from the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) defense think tank, asserts that although Israel currently holds air superiority over Tehran, it has not achieved complete air dominance.
Shorter-range air defenses, including shoulder or vehicle-launched portable ground-to-air missiles, remain a significant concern, particularly given Iran’s substantial stockpile of such weapons.
US fighter jets swiftly established air superiority over the Houthis in Yemen; however, the Houthis managed to down several US drones, which were notably slower.
Historical military operations in the Middle East, such as the US-led assaults on ISIS and Israel’s ongoing military actions against Hamas in Gaza, highlight the constraints of aerial warfare.
Airborne destruction does not inherently result in defeat.
