Israel’s attack on Iran has exposed critical weaknesses in Tehran’s broader military strategy. While Iran still has untapped shorter-range capabilities it could deploy in its immediate neighbourhood, its depleted medium-range missile arsenal and weakened regional allies leave it with limited options for retaliation against Israel.
On 13 June 2025, following months of escalating tension and limited reciprocal strikes, Israel launched a large-scale attack on Iran’s nuclear programme and conventional military capabilities. In addition to nuclear facilities, the initial strike waves appear to have prioritised time-sensitive targets such as nuclear scientists,
senior military commanders including Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Commander Hossein Salami and IRGC Aerospace Force Commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh, as well as air defence systems.
As part of the opening campaign, Israel targeted ballistic missile assets expected to play a central role in Iran’s anticipated retaliation. Strikes were conducted against major missile sites in western Iran, including underground bases in Khorramabad, Kermanshah, and Tabriz. In parallel, Israel employed small uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAVs),
reportedly smuggled into Iran by its intelligence services, against air defence systems and road-mobile ballistic missile launchers. Israel has long pioneered the use of such UAVs for stand-off sabotage, previously deploying explosive-laden drones against critical nodes in Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes.
The operational freedom gained through the destruction of Iranian air defences then enabled the Israeli Air Force to conduct dynamic targeting of mobile missile launchers using more conventional strike assets. According to the Israeli Air Force, the service destroyed about 120 launchers as of 16 June, representing roughly a third of Iran’s pre-war inventory.
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