Assessments in Israel of a 'Serious Blow' to Iran's Air Defense

A day after Israel's military response to Iran, Israeli experts and analysts are discussing the shift in regional power balance in favor of Israel against the Islamic Republic and what they describe as a serious weakening of Iran's air defense capabilities, opening the path for potential future operations. According to Israeli media, around 140 Israeli fighter jets of various models, including F-35s, attacked 20 'completely military' targets in Iran in three waves early on Saturday, November 5, in response to Iran's missile attack on October 1. The operation lasted approximately three and a half hours, and all aircraft returned safely to Israel. Hundreds of pilots and co-pilots participated in this operation, landing at several Israeli Air Force bases without encountering any danger. Senior former Israeli Air Force commanders told their media that the presence of some fighter jets was primarily for assistance in case pilots were caught in the sky or in Iranian territory, and special forces and equipment were present in the jets that were not carrying weapons. Retired Major General Yisrael Ziv, a senior former commander of the Israeli army, told Israel's Channel 12 that pilots operated 'easily and without any obstacles' in the skies during the operation, successfully hitting all intended targets without any hindrance. He stated that the performance of the Islamic Republic's air defense, a government that claims to lead the 'resistance axis,' was a complete failure and embarrassingly posed no threat to Israeli fighter jets. According to General Ziv, Iran was 'completely helpless' during the hours of Israel's operations, and Israeli jets bombed all military sites they were tasked to target, revealing that after years of Iranian boasting about air defense capabilities, such capabilities do not exist. Ron Ben-Yishai, a military commentator for Yedioth Ahronoth, wrote that the credibility and ability of the Iranian government to defend its territory have been severely weakened in the eyes of many Iranians, and key areas of Tehran now lack air defense capabilities, leaving all of Iran vulnerable to further attacks from Israel. Channel 14 of Israeli television commented that for 40 years, Israel feared the possibility of war with Iran, which has supported proxy groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, but after this operation, the equation against Iran has 'drastically changed; Iran today is no longer the Iran of yesterday.' This network added that the powerful response on Saturday, which marked the first time the Israeli army stood against the head of the octopus, demonstrated that Israel has the capability to strip Iran of its offensive capabilities, whether directly or through its proxies, a threat that has long posed a fundamental danger to Israel but no longer endangers its existence. This commentary indicates that with this operation, Iran's air defense system has been rendered inoperative, and the blinding of their radar has stripped them of their ability to protect cities and facilities, revealing the regime's weakness and its lack of security assurance. Yaakov Berdugo, a commentator for Channel 14, added that there is now an organized plan that is effective, and the operation carried out is the first attack and the beginning of more to come. The new equation suggests that its nuclear program can also be defeated. Noam Amir, a military commentator for Channel 14, also stated that 90% of Iran's air defense system in the areas where the 'Days of Response' operation took place has been 'destroyed.' This commentator described Saturday's operation as 'an initial blow and not a final one' and said that conditions for attacking Iran's nuclear sites have now become easier. Channel 7 of Israeli media also quoted 'a senior source' from the country stating that the removal of Iran's air defense capabilities in this attack was 'very powerful and significant,' a dramatic event with broad implications. This source said that this was the first time in history that Israel has directly and openly attacked Iran with hundreds of aircraft carrying heavy weapons, and by achieving all the objectives of this mission, Iran's strategic defensive capabilities and missile production have been set back for some time. The deterrent message of this mission is also that Israel can access any point in Iran. The operational advantage in overcoming Iran's air defense capability means that if Iran continues its attacks, Israel's next response will be carried out more easily. Yuval Limor, a military commentator for Israel Hayom, wrote on November 6 that with the change in the rules of the game and the proof of Israel's air superiority in Iranian skies after the severe damage to Iran's air defense system, the Islamic Republic will face great difficulty in restoring this capability. According to Limor, given the 'broad international support' for Israel in defending itself, this country can now channel this support towards extensive actions against the Islamic Republic if it is attacked again by Iran. He described the statements issued by several Arab countries condemning the Israeli operation in Iran as 'weak' and wrote that the sovereignty of these countries themselves desires Israel's success against Iran and cheers for it. Retired Major General Benny Gantz, who previously served as defense minister and chief of staff of the army, deemed his country's direct attack on Iranian industries and military targets 'important in itself and in its execution' and wrote that a new phase in the struggle against Iran has begun, laying the groundwork for continued operations and extracting a heavy price from Iran, which has made unsuccessful attempts to harm Israel. According to General Gantz, only part of his country's capabilities was demonstrated in the Israeli operation, and the Iranian government will receive more damage if it continues on its previous path. Many Israeli politicians from the opposition praised the superior military capability of their air force in the region on Saturday while harshly criticizing Benjamin Netanyahu for limiting the selection of entirely military targets in the Israeli operation in Iran. In response, Benjamin Netanyahu implicitly emphasized that the targets were chosen based on Israel's interests. An Israeli army spokesperson said that the targets the pilots were tasked to hit were selected from a 'database' of targets that the Israeli army had prepared from Iran, and if Iran continues on the path of 'escalating tensions,' more facilities from this list of targets will be struck in future operations. Daniel Hagari also referred to reaching the stage of 'broader freedom of action' for the army regarding Iran as an implicit significant achievement of Saturday's operation. Israeli media reported that the cabinet of this country will hold a meeting on Sunday night to assess the extent of the damage inflicted on Iran.