Iran’s recent missile strikes on Israel, starting June 13, 2025, have challenged Israel’s advanced air defense systems, including Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow. Despite an 80-90% interception rate, some Iranian ballistic missiles hit key targets, including a military intelligence center and a Mossad operations hub. This article explores how Iran achieved this breach.
Key Strategies Used by Iran
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Hypersonic Missiles: Iran’s use of hypersonic missiles, like the Shahed Haj Qassem, exploits their speed and maneuverability to evade detection and interception. These advanced weapons challenge even sophisticated defenses like Israel’s.
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Saturation Attacks: By launching large barrages of missiles and drones (e.g., 200 ballistic missiles and 200 drones in one wave), Iran overwhelmed Israel’s interceptor missile reserves, reducing the system’s effectiveness.
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Electronic Warfare: Iran claims to have used “new methods” to disrupt Israel’s defenses, potentially causing friendly fire incidents among interceptors, though evidence remains inconclusive.
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Targeting Vulnerabilities: Iran’s strikes focused on high-value targets, such as the Bazan petrochemical complex in Haifa and residential areas in Tel Aviv, exploiting gaps in Israel’s layered defense system.
Impact and Implications
The attacks caused significant damage in Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Bnei Brak, with casualties reported. Israel’s defenses, while robust, struggled with the volume and sophistication of Iran’s arsenal. The conflict highlights the limitations of even the world’s most advanced air defense systems when faced with evolving missile technology and tactics.