IDF destroys a third of Iran’s missile launchers, establishes air superiority

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Monday that it has successfully destroyed one-third of Iran’s missile launchers since the launch of Operation Rising Lion. 

The announcement comes after a night of intense air operations in which Israeli Air Force jets neutralized more than 20 surface-to-surface missiles just moments before they were scheduled to be fired toward Israel.

In coordinated overnight strikes, Israeli aircraft carried out multiple waves of attacks targeting roughly 100 military sites in central Iran’s Isfahan region. 

The targets included missile storage facilities, active launchers, and command centers where Iranian crews were preparing missile launches. According to the IDF, around 50 fighter jets were involved in the mission, with several strike teams identifying and eliminating launch crews in real time.

Since the start of the operation, Israel has reportedly destroyed over 120 Iranian launchers — nearly one-third of Iran’s estimated total arsenal. Israeli officials attribute the high success rate to the rapid establishment of air superiority, which they say was achieved within just 48 hours of the campaign's launch.

Military analysts are drawing comparisons between Israel’s operations and the stalled conflict in Ukraine. “Both wars demonstrate the importance of air superiority. In Ukraine, we see the consequences when neither side can establish it: a prolonged war of attrition," said David Deptula, former senior U.S. Air Force official. Michael Kofman of the Carnegie Institute added that Iran’s air defense systems proved to be a far easier target than Ukraine’s, emphasizing the technological gap between the conflicts.

The IDF's ability to neutralize so many missile systems in a short time frame marks a significant tactical advantage for Israel, as both nations continue to engage in one of the most volatile phases of the current conflict.