IAF long-range exercise. (Twitter Screenshot)
The near-total elimination of Syrian air defenses has enabled the IAF to operate freely over Syrian airspace, including directly above Damascus.
After years of navigating Syria’s dense air defense network during its efforts to counter Iranian weapons shipments to Hezbollah, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) has announced it has achieved complete dominance in the region’s skies.
In a recent large-scale operation, the IAF targeted advanced weaponry and military infrastructure across Syria, dismantling the Assad regime’s air defense systems and crippling its military capabilities.
According to the Israeli military, the operation destroyed 86% of Syria’s air defense systems, including 107 air defense components and 47 radar installations.
Notably, this included 80% of the Russian-made SA-22 (Pantsir-S1) and 90% of the SA-17 (Buk) systems, which had previously posed significant challenges during Israel’s Mabam (campaign between campaigns) strategy aimed at curtailing Iranian influence in Syria since 2013.
The near-total elimination of Syrian air defenses has enabled the IAF to operate freely over Syrian airspace, including directly above Damascus.
Surveillance drones and bombing raids can now be conducted without significant resistance, according to Israeli defense officials.
This newfound air superiority coincides with the collapse of the Iran-backed Assad regime, a development that prompted Israel’s intensified strikes earlier this week.
During the campaign, the IAF targeted airbases, weapons depots, missile production facilities, chemical weapons sites, and other strategic locations, deploying 1,800 munitions in total.
The strikes also destroyed 27 fighter jets, 24 helicopters, and hundreds of advanced missiles.
The Prime Minister’s Office declined to disclose further details about the meeting.
Smotrich said the campaign should target terrorists, weapons, tunnels and other infrastructure.
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