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Israel and the Real Lessons of the Strikes on Iran

(Foreign Affairs) Lt.-Gen. (ret.) David A. Deptula - For years, military theorists and political scientists have argued that airpower is overrated, that leaders have grown overconfident in the ability of precision airstrikes to coerce states into submission. Then, in June, Israel launched an air campaign against Iran. Over just 12 days, Israel's air force flew 1,500 combat sorties, conducted more than 600 aerial refuelings, and struck over 900 Iranian targets, including hardened nuclear facilities, missile batteries, and military command centers. The results were decisive: Iran's nuclear program was significantly disrupted, key elements of its air defense network were shattered, and Tehran's military leadership suffered serious blows, while not a single manned Israeli aircraft was lost. Although Israel did not fully eliminate Iran's nuclear capabilities, its air campaign delayed, degraded, and deterred Iran's ambitions, and transformed the Middle East's political landscape. Israel's operation was a stunning demonstration of what a modern air force, backed by sound strategy and political resolve, can accomplish. It reaffirmed airpower's ability to achieve meaningful political outcomes without a drawn-out ground war. The Israeli air force used stealth F-35I fighter jets to suppress and destroy Iranian surface-to-air missile batteries. These aircraft provided real-time targeting information to nonstealth F-15I and F-16I fighters, which carried out precision strikes on additional targets. Uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) collected intelligence, jammed communications, and allowed Israel to deliver additional precision-guided munitions. By degrading Iranian defenses, Israel also cleared the way for U.S. B-2 stealth bombers to strike deeply buried nuclear facilities at Fordow and Natanz. The writer is Dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies and a Senior Scholar at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
2025-08-12 00:00:00
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