Blind Radars, Blistering Speed: How Israeli Jets Seized Iran’s Skies in Just 48 Hours While Russia Struggles in Ukraine
In a dramatic display of military precision, Israel’s Air Force took control of western Iranian airspace—including the skies above Tehran—within just 48 hours of launching its surprise campaign. Israeli warplanes now strike targets deep inside Iran’s territory, using short-range guided bombs, without the need for expensive long-range missile strikes. It’s a rapid and decisive achievement that highlights the importance of air superiority in modern warfare — something Russia, even with one of the world’s largest air forces, has failed to accomplish in Ukraine after over three years of fighting.
Why Israel Succeeded and Russia Stumbled
Since February 2022, Russia has struggled to achieve full air dominance over Ukraine. The war there turned into a grinding, bloody ground conflict. Israel’s blitz over Iran followed a completely different pattern — fast, coordinated, and calculated to destroy Iran’s air-defence network before it could react.
Military experts explain the difference lies not in the size of the air forces, but in planning, intelligence integration, and precision strike capability. Israel’s air force, though smaller, operates as a highly agile, technology-driven force, tightly integrated with cyber units and real-time intelligence support.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed this shift in the conflict’s dynamic, announcing that the Israeli Air Force now controls the skies over Tehran.
How the Israeli Air Force Pulled It Off
According to Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Chief of the Israeli General Staff, their pilots flew high-risk missions hundreds of kilometres from Israel, breaching Iranian defences and carrying out hundreds of precision strikes.
Israel’s primary combat aircraft included:
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F-35I ‘Adir’ stealth fighters (modified from the US F-35, integrated with Israeli EW systems, missiles, and data-links)
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F-15I Ra’am strike aircraft (carrying heavy JDAM and Spice-guided bombs)
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F-16I Sufa multirole fighters (for close air support and escort missions)
With Iran’s defences crippled, even older Israeli aircraft entered the battle, deploying low-cost, highly accurate bombs like the JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) and Spice 250/1000 smart bombs — munitions that convert regular gravity bombs into precision weapons guided by GPS and electro-optics.
Iran’s Weak, Fragmented Air Defences
Iran’s air-defence system was no match for Israel’s rapid assault. While Iran operates systems like the Russian S-300 PMU2, Chinese HQ-2, and locally built platforms like the Bavar-373 and Khordad-15, these systems are poorly integrated, scattered, and limited by outdated radar and command networks.
Worse, Iran had spent more on missile stockpiles and proxy groups like Hezbollah than on modernising its own air-defence infrastructure. That left large gaps in radar coverage, especially after Israeli drones and cyber-attacks took out several key radar and command nodes in the first wave of the operation.
Covert Tactics and Element of Surprise
A key reason behind Iran’s vulnerability was deception. While the world’s attention was focused on upcoming US-Iran talks scheduled for 15 June, Israel deliberately launched its attack on 13 June.
Using covert operations, Israeli teams eliminated top IRGC leaders and disabled air-defence hubs with short-range drones and sabotage operations from inside Iran. This completely blindsided Iran’s air-defence network.
Multi-Layered Israeli Air Defence at Home
While seizing the skies over Iran, Israel continues to defend its own cities against Iranian missile and drone attacks. Its air defence network is layered and highly effective:
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Iron Dome: Intercepts short-range rockets, over 90% success rate.
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David’s Sling: Engages medium-range missiles.
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Arrow-2 & Arrow-3: High-altitude interceptors targeting ballistic missiles even in space.
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Iron Beam: A laser-based system under development for cost-effective drone and rocket defence.
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US-supplied THAAD systems deployed in Israel to bolster long-range interception.
Israel’s jets and air-defence helicopters have also shot down drones and missiles heading toward Israeli cities. Jordanian fighter jets reportedly intercepted some Iranian projectiles too.
Striking the Launchers Next
Israel’s next strategic move is clear — destroying Iran’s missile launchers before they can be fired. Retired US Air Force General Timothy Ray summed it up: “The best way to shoot a missile is when it’s still on the ground.”
Israel’s air force continues to use F-35s and F-15s to hunt down and bomb these mobile launchers, aiming to neutralise Iran’s remaining offensive capability.
Key Lessons for the World
The Israel-Iran conflict offers harsh lessons about modern warfare:
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Air superiority is decisive. The side that controls the sky controls the war.
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Integrated intelligence, cyber, and air power coordination trumps sheer size.
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Rapid, precise, and high-risk strikes can paralyse an enemy faster than prolonged ground campaigns.
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Air defences, no matter how advanced individually, are useless without proper integration, redundancy, and leadership.
As British Air Marshal Martin Sampson aptly noted, “From Israel’s side, the campaign objective is to destroy and degrade—and Iran doesn’t have that ability.”
Military planners from Washington to New Delhi are closely studying this air war. The difference between Israel’s swift success and Russia’s drawn-out struggle in Ukraine highlights one hard truth of modern conflict — he who owns the skies, owns the outcome.
