Israel officially announced that it has established air control over Iran, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said is a "game changer". Israeli warplanes have been freely crossing Iranian airspace since the start of their campaign on Friday, striking nuclear facilities, weapons depots, scientists and military commanders, summarizes "Reuters".
"Our pilots can now operate against countless targets over Tehran," said National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi, noting the destruction of "dozens" Iranian air defense systems. The Israeli Defense Ministry has compared its control of Iranian skies to that of Gaza and Lebanon.
Despite its demonstrated military and intelligence superiority, experts warn that Israel cannot single-handedly deliver a crushing blow to Iran's heavily fortified and deeply located nuclear facilities - such as the Fordow complex - without US involvement. According to sources familiar with the matter, US President Donald Trump has denied Israel permission to attack Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei but has had a "long conversation" with Vladimir Putin about mediation.
Israel has not yet attacked the Fordow site, focusing its strikes on Natanz and Isfahan. A former senior Israeli official told Reuters that even if Iran retains a limited uranium enrichment capacity, losing the personnel and infrastructure to actually develop weapons would be considered a "significant achievement."
Israel says it has not lost a single plane or crew during its missions, which include mid-air refueling over Syria, territory that has been free of Iranian influence since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad in December.
Meanwhile, Iran has responded with missile strikes on Israeli cities. Its military says it has shot down Israeli planes, a claim Israel denies.
According to Israeli sources, Mossad has managed to infiltrate the Iranian capital with a network of agents who have been involved in destroying key air defense systems. A regional intelligence source compared the targeted killings in Iran to those carried out on Hezbollah’s high command during Israel’s 2024 offensive in Lebanon.
Some analysts warn that Israel will struggle to maintain the pace of its operations due to the need for refueling and technical support. A significant shipment of American bombs, including heavy bunker-busting bombs, arrived in Israel in April.
While Israel has the upper hand, the question of whether the campaign will produce a strategic result remains open. According to Andreas Krieg of King’s College London, "Israel’s tactical successes are significant, but translating them into a strategic victory will require more than air power."