The weapons used as fighting between Israel and Iran rages
The F-35 and the war for the skies
Israel's strategy has been to quickly establish control over Iran's airspace, allowing its air force to bomb Iranian targets unhampered. This has been a multi-step strategy. Israel struck Iran several times last year, hitting air-defence facilities, including several S-300 mobile surface-to-air missile systems supplied by Russia.
On Friday, the latest conflict's first day, Israel struck the remaining air-defence systems, building an unobstructed strike corridor for its planes to bomb Tehran. Many of these strikes were carried out by Israel's fleet of American-supplied F-35s, complemented by F-15s and F-16s.
The F35 is a fifth-generation stealth fighter, designed to be all but invisible to air defences. Its listed combat range is smaller than the distance between Israel and Iran, suggesting Israel has managed to modify its fuel reserves without compromising its stealth capacity.
That newly extended strike capacity will put other Middle Eastern countries on notice, said Dr Binoy Kampmark, a lecturer at RMIT University who focuses on armed conflict.
Iran's air force is entirely outmatched. The country has a few hundred patched-together planes dating from the 1970s: Russian MiG-29s, American F-14s, some Chinese F-7s.
Iran has claimed it has shot down at least three of the F-35s using surface-to-air missiles. Israel has described those claims as fake news.
'Both sides are exaggerating for propaganda purposes,' said Hashim. 'I did not think the Iranians had the capability to shoot it down – someone must have given them that capability recently.'
Drone warfare
Drones have rapidly reshaped the face of warfare. In an operation dubbed 'Spider's Web', Ukraine struck four airbases deep inside Russia this month using smuggled explosive drones hidden inside shipping containers.
The crates were taken to near their targets by drivers unaware of what they were transporting, before the drones were remotely activated. Pilots flew them to their targets – or AI was used when the signal was lost.
We have less detail about Israel's operations early in the fighting with Iran, but it seems to have pulled off a similar trick. The Israelis appear to have built a one-way drone base in Iran, which they used to strike missile launchers near Tehran. The attacks were supported by vehicles and commandos also smuggled into the country.
'That was not a one-off. This is now a pattern of behaviour. This will now require a rethink of interior defence around the world, including Australia,' said Adam Lockyer, an associate professor in strategic studies at Macquarie University.
Iran responded by launching more than 100 drones of its own at Israel. Iran makes its own Shahed drones, which it has sold to Russia for use in its war in Ukraine.
Said Kampmark: 'They certainly don't have the same firepower the Israelis do. But they have invested in low-cost technologies en masse. The Shahed drone is their masterpiece.'
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The drones have a long range and carry 50-kilogram warheads, but they fly slowly. Israel, with assistance from the US, has been able to intercept and destroy most of them. Iran has had more success combining drone and ballistic missile attacks, with the aim of overwhelming Israeli missile defences.
Israel's most notable defence network is the Iron Dome – a network of anti-ballistic missile defences spread throughout the country. Israel has also been using a new addition to this system, known as the Iron Beam, in its conflict in Gaza: a high-powered laser cannon that can shoot down drones and missiles.
Ballistic missiles
Iran has tried to retaliate against Israel by launching hundreds of ballistic missiles. The country has invested heavily in missile development and production and now has probably the best arsenal in the Middle East, said Hashim – ranging from the old to cutting-edge technology.
'Iran has put all its eggs in the basket of ballistic missiles because it has not been able to rebuild its air force,' he said.
Iran's missile development program started with Russian-built Scud missiles 'that were totally inaccurate and just pieces of shit', he said. But Iran's weapons are now 'progressively more technologically advanced'.
Iran even claims it has developed and, as of Wednesday, deployed 'hypersonic missiles', a key advance. Hypersonic missiles can fly five times the speed of sound while also manoeuvring to avoid air defences.
'That makes it very hard to intercept. Even the Iron Dome would find it hard to intercept some of these particular missiles,' said Kampmark.
The country has also claimed to have found ways to confuse the Iron Dome and make it target itself, said Dr Oleksandra Molloy, a senior aviation lecturer at the University of NSW who has published papers on drones for the Australian Army Research Centre, as part of an overall strategy to 'saturate Israeli air defence networks and confuse radar operations'.
'While some will be intercepted, some will still get through.'
Social media footage also appears to suggest Iran has deployed multi-warhead ballistic missiles, she said. 'These submunitions – often referred to as bomblets – are released from the missile's warhead during its terminal phase to disperse over a wide area and hit multiple targets,' she said.
Bunker busters
On Tuesday, several American news outlets reported US President Donald Trump was hoping to use the country's bunker-busting bombs as leverage to bring the conflict to a swift close; Trump has demanded Iran's unconditional surrender.
The bunker-buster bombs have assumed central importance because of Iran's Fordow nuclear site, which houses thousands of centrifuges that are key to Iran's purported ability to make nuclear weapons. The complex is buried deep within a mountain.
Israel has damaged Iran's other nuclear site at Natanz. But destroying Fordow presents a different challenge: munitions need to penetrate 80 metres of solid rock before hitting the underground bunkers.
Only one bomb is capable of that: the US's GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator. The specially hardened shell of the bomb is designed to punch through the ground before exploding. The bomb is GPS-guided, but due to its extreme weight – more than 13 tonnes – it can only be dropped by the US's B2 Spirit stealth bomber.
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The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
No breakthrough in European talks with Iranian diplomat
A meeting between Iran's foreign minister and top European diplomats yielded hopes of further talks but no immediate breakthrough, a week after war erupted between Israel and Tehran, over Iran's nuclear program. Foreign ministers from Britain, France and Germany, as well as the European Union's foreign policy chief, emerged from talks at a Geneva hotel about 3 1/2 hours after Iran's Abbas Araghchi arrived for the meeting. It was the first face-to-face meeting between Western and Iranian officials since the start of the conflict. In a joint written statement issued after the talks ended, the three European nations and the EU said that they "discussed avenues towards a negotiated solution to Iran's nuclear program." They reiterated their concerns about the "expansion" of the nuclear program, adding that it has "no credible civilian purpose." In a separate statement, Lammy stressed that the aim of Europe and the US was that Iran should stop all uranium enrichment. He said that "there can be discussions about the energy needs of Iran" but added that "zero enrichment is the starting point." Lammy told British media outlets that there is "a window of within two weeks where we can see a diplomatic solution," and urged Iran "to take that off ramp." US President Donald Trump has given a time-frame of two weeks for a decision on whether the US will get involved in the conflict, on Israel's side. "Military operations can slow Iran's nuclear program but in no way can they eliminate it," said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. "We know well -- after having seen what happened in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in Libya — how illusory and dangerous it is to want to impose regime change from outside." Barrot also said that European nations "invited the Iranian minister to envisage negotiations with all parties including the United States, and without waiting for the end of the strikes." The French Foreign Minister said Araghchi agreed "to put all the issues on the table including some that weren't there before" and "showed his disposition to continuing the conversation — that we started today — and for the Europeans to help facilitate, including with the United States." Araghchi addressed reporters outside the meeting venue after the talks ended. He expressed support for continuing discussions with the three European countries and the EU. He also denounced Israel's attacks against nuclear facilities in Iran and expressed "grave concern" over what he called "non-condemnation" by European nations. Israel says it launched its airstrike campaign to stop Iran from getting closer to being able to build a nuclear weapon. Iran and the United States had been negotiating over the possibility of a new diplomatic deal over Tehran's program, though Trump has said Israel's campaign came after a 60-day window he set for the talks. Iran's supreme leader has rejected US calls for surrender and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause "irreparable damage to them." Just before meeting the European diplomats, Araghchi made a brief appearance before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. He said that Israel's "attacks on nuclear facilities are grave war crimes," and insisted that "we are entitled … and determined to defend our territorial integrity, national sovereignty and security with all force." Iran has long insisted its nuclear program is peaceful, though it was the only non-nuclear-armed state to enrich uranium up to 60 per cent, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent. A meeting between Iran's foreign minister and top European diplomats yielded hopes of further talks but no immediate breakthrough, a week after war erupted between Israel and Tehran, over Iran's nuclear program. Foreign ministers from Britain, France and Germany, as well as the European Union's foreign policy chief, emerged from talks at a Geneva hotel about 3 1/2 hours after Iran's Abbas Araghchi arrived for the meeting. It was the first face-to-face meeting between Western and Iranian officials since the start of the conflict. In a joint written statement issued after the talks ended, the three European nations and the EU said that they "discussed avenues towards a negotiated solution to Iran's nuclear program." They reiterated their concerns about the "expansion" of the nuclear program, adding that it has "no credible civilian purpose." In a separate statement, Lammy stressed that the aim of Europe and the US was that Iran should stop all uranium enrichment. He said that "there can be discussions about the energy needs of Iran" but added that "zero enrichment is the starting point." Lammy told British media outlets that there is "a window of within two weeks where we can see a diplomatic solution," and urged Iran "to take that off ramp." US President Donald Trump has given a time-frame of two weeks for a decision on whether the US will get involved in the conflict, on Israel's side. "Military operations can slow Iran's nuclear program but in no way can they eliminate it," said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. "We know well -- after having seen what happened in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in Libya — how illusory and dangerous it is to want to impose regime change from outside." Barrot also said that European nations "invited the Iranian minister to envisage negotiations with all parties including the United States, and without waiting for the end of the strikes." The French Foreign Minister said Araghchi agreed "to put all the issues on the table including some that weren't there before" and "showed his disposition to continuing the conversation — that we started today — and for the Europeans to help facilitate, including with the United States." Araghchi addressed reporters outside the meeting venue after the talks ended. He expressed support for continuing discussions with the three European countries and the EU. He also denounced Israel's attacks against nuclear facilities in Iran and expressed "grave concern" over what he called "non-condemnation" by European nations. Israel says it launched its airstrike campaign to stop Iran from getting closer to being able to build a nuclear weapon. Iran and the United States had been negotiating over the possibility of a new diplomatic deal over Tehran's program, though Trump has said Israel's campaign came after a 60-day window he set for the talks. Iran's supreme leader has rejected US calls for surrender and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause "irreparable damage to them." Just before meeting the European diplomats, Araghchi made a brief appearance before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. He said that Israel's "attacks on nuclear facilities are grave war crimes," and insisted that "we are entitled … and determined to defend our territorial integrity, national sovereignty and security with all force." Iran has long insisted its nuclear program is peaceful, though it was the only non-nuclear-armed state to enrich uranium up to 60 per cent, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent. A meeting between Iran's foreign minister and top European diplomats yielded hopes of further talks but no immediate breakthrough, a week after war erupted between Israel and Tehran, over Iran's nuclear program. Foreign ministers from Britain, France and Germany, as well as the European Union's foreign policy chief, emerged from talks at a Geneva hotel about 3 1/2 hours after Iran's Abbas Araghchi arrived for the meeting. It was the first face-to-face meeting between Western and Iranian officials since the start of the conflict. In a joint written statement issued after the talks ended, the three European nations and the EU said that they "discussed avenues towards a negotiated solution to Iran's nuclear program." They reiterated their concerns about the "expansion" of the nuclear program, adding that it has "no credible civilian purpose." In a separate statement, Lammy stressed that the aim of Europe and the US was that Iran should stop all uranium enrichment. He said that "there can be discussions about the energy needs of Iran" but added that "zero enrichment is the starting point." Lammy told British media outlets that there is "a window of within two weeks where we can see a diplomatic solution," and urged Iran "to take that off ramp." US President Donald Trump has given a time-frame of two weeks for a decision on whether the US will get involved in the conflict, on Israel's side. "Military operations can slow Iran's nuclear program but in no way can they eliminate it," said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. "We know well -- after having seen what happened in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in Libya — how illusory and dangerous it is to want to impose regime change from outside." Barrot also said that European nations "invited the Iranian minister to envisage negotiations with all parties including the United States, and without waiting for the end of the strikes." The French Foreign Minister said Araghchi agreed "to put all the issues on the table including some that weren't there before" and "showed his disposition to continuing the conversation — that we started today — and for the Europeans to help facilitate, including with the United States." Araghchi addressed reporters outside the meeting venue after the talks ended. He expressed support for continuing discussions with the three European countries and the EU. He also denounced Israel's attacks against nuclear facilities in Iran and expressed "grave concern" over what he called "non-condemnation" by European nations. Israel says it launched its airstrike campaign to stop Iran from getting closer to being able to build a nuclear weapon. Iran and the United States had been negotiating over the possibility of a new diplomatic deal over Tehran's program, though Trump has said Israel's campaign came after a 60-day window he set for the talks. Iran's supreme leader has rejected US calls for surrender and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause "irreparable damage to them." Just before meeting the European diplomats, Araghchi made a brief appearance before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. He said that Israel's "attacks on nuclear facilities are grave war crimes," and insisted that "we are entitled … and determined to defend our territorial integrity, national sovereignty and security with all force." Iran has long insisted its nuclear program is peaceful, though it was the only non-nuclear-armed state to enrich uranium up to 60 per cent, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent. A meeting between Iran's foreign minister and top European diplomats yielded hopes of further talks but no immediate breakthrough, a week after war erupted between Israel and Tehran, over Iran's nuclear program. Foreign ministers from Britain, France and Germany, as well as the European Union's foreign policy chief, emerged from talks at a Geneva hotel about 3 1/2 hours after Iran's Abbas Araghchi arrived for the meeting. It was the first face-to-face meeting between Western and Iranian officials since the start of the conflict. In a joint written statement issued after the talks ended, the three European nations and the EU said that they "discussed avenues towards a negotiated solution to Iran's nuclear program." They reiterated their concerns about the "expansion" of the nuclear program, adding that it has "no credible civilian purpose." In a separate statement, Lammy stressed that the aim of Europe and the US was that Iran should stop all uranium enrichment. He said that "there can be discussions about the energy needs of Iran" but added that "zero enrichment is the starting point." Lammy told British media outlets that there is "a window of within two weeks where we can see a diplomatic solution," and urged Iran "to take that off ramp." US President Donald Trump has given a time-frame of two weeks for a decision on whether the US will get involved in the conflict, on Israel's side. "Military operations can slow Iran's nuclear program but in no way can they eliminate it," said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. "We know well -- after having seen what happened in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in Libya — how illusory and dangerous it is to want to impose regime change from outside." Barrot also said that European nations "invited the Iranian minister to envisage negotiations with all parties including the United States, and without waiting for the end of the strikes." The French Foreign Minister said Araghchi agreed "to put all the issues on the table including some that weren't there before" and "showed his disposition to continuing the conversation — that we started today — and for the Europeans to help facilitate, including with the United States." Araghchi addressed reporters outside the meeting venue after the talks ended. He expressed support for continuing discussions with the three European countries and the EU. He also denounced Israel's attacks against nuclear facilities in Iran and expressed "grave concern" over what he called "non-condemnation" by European nations. Israel says it launched its airstrike campaign to stop Iran from getting closer to being able to build a nuclear weapon. Iran and the United States had been negotiating over the possibility of a new diplomatic deal over Tehran's program, though Trump has said Israel's campaign came after a 60-day window he set for the talks. Iran's supreme leader has rejected US calls for surrender and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause "irreparable damage to them." Just before meeting the European diplomats, Araghchi made a brief appearance before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. He said that Israel's "attacks on nuclear facilities are grave war crimes," and insisted that "we are entitled … and determined to defend our territorial integrity, national sovereignty and security with all force." Iran has long insisted its nuclear program is peaceful, though it was the only non-nuclear-armed state to enrich uranium up to 60 per cent, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
How the militaries of Israel and Iran compare
On Thursday, an Israeli military official said that Iran used a missile with multiple warheads, posing a new challenge to its defences. There was no immediate independent analysis of the attack. Iran claims to have a multi-warhead missile, known as the Khorramshahr, which was first tested in 2017 and appears likely to be derived from a North Korean missile, according to a report by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies' Missile Defence Project. According to the CSIS report, 'the 'multiple warheads' claim is most likely a reference to a sub-munitions warhead, rather than multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) technology'. A true MIRV missile allows separately targeted warheads to be set on independent paths from the main missile. The security of Iran's top commanders has also been a recurring problem, with the head of the Revolutionary Guards, General Hossein Salami, and General Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, among those who killed in last Friday's strikes in Tehran. Top nuclear scientists were also killed. Other senior commanders have been killed in recent strikes around the region. Iran's nuclear program has advanced in recent years, and it is believed to have developed enough uranium enriched to near-weapons grade levels to produce multiple nuclear weapons in a matter of months if it took the decision to do so. But Iran would need even more time to develop a missile or other means of weaponising them. Israel does not appear inclined to take that chance, however, having already struck facilities manufacturing nuclear material and ballistic missiles. How does Israel compare? Loading Israel's formidable land, sea and air forces are derived from both the latest US and European technology as well as a robust domestic defence industry that can design, build and sustain a full range of armaments, allowing it to take on opponents on multiple fronts at the same time. For a small nation, it also has a considerable supply of troops, with about 170,000 active duty forces and another 400,000 reserves. Though fewer than Iran, Israel's forces have been battle-hardened by regional conflicts. One option for Iran's counterstrike may include hundreds of ballistic missiles targeting Israel, though how long that could be sustained is unclear. In October 2024, a massive Iranian missile assault on Israel caused only limited damage, partly because of US help in shooting down Iranian missiles. That defence was made possible by Israel's multi-tiered missile defences. The sophisticated system, developed over decades with considerable US support, is capable of detecting incoming fire and deploying only if the projectile is headed toward a population centre or sensitive military or civilian infrastructure. Israeli leaders say the system isn't 100 per cent guaranteed, but credit it with preventing serious damage and countless casualties. Israel is widely believed to be the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East, though it has never acknowledged having such weapons. Israel also has a steadfast ally in the United States, which has been key in previous conflicts and will likely be crucial in any that follow. The US role The United States has distanced itself from the Israeli actions, but could be a target of Iranian retaliation. Among the US assets in the region are an aircraft carrier with about 60 fighters in the Arabian Sea, along with dozens of other jets at bases throughout the region – as well as thousands of troops. America also has 'bunker-buster' bombs, which have assumed central importance because of Iran's Fordow nuclear site buried deep within a mountain. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Israel took 'unilateral action against Iran', warning Iran not to target US forces in retaliation. In recent days, the US began pulling some diplomats from Iraq's capital and offering voluntary evacuations for the families of US troops in the wider Middle East. Israel already curtailed Iran's ability to fight back, having decimated Iranian proxies Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah and heavily bombed Iran's air defence systems. Ahead of Friday's strikes, Iran had vowed massive retaliation for any attack, not just against Israel but also US bases in the region, with one official vowing to in effect drive the US from the Middle East through the destruction of its military infrastructure.
The Age
2 hours ago
- The Age
How the militaries of Israel and Iran compare
On Thursday, an Israeli military official said that Iran used a missile with multiple warheads, posing a new challenge to its defences. There was no immediate independent analysis of the attack. Iran claims to have a multi-warhead missile, known as the Khorramshahr, which was first tested in 2017 and appears likely to be derived from a North Korean missile, according to a report by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies' Missile Defence Project. According to the CSIS report, 'the 'multiple warheads' claim is most likely a reference to a sub-munitions warhead, rather than multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) technology'. A true MIRV missile allows separately targeted warheads to be set on independent paths from the main missile. The security of Iran's top commanders has also been a recurring problem, with the head of the Revolutionary Guards, General Hossein Salami, and General Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, among those who killed in last Friday's strikes in Tehran. Top nuclear scientists were also killed. Other senior commanders have been killed in recent strikes around the region. Iran's nuclear program has advanced in recent years, and it is believed to have developed enough uranium enriched to near-weapons grade levels to produce multiple nuclear weapons in a matter of months if it took the decision to do so. But Iran would need even more time to develop a missile or other means of weaponising them. Israel does not appear inclined to take that chance, however, having already struck facilities manufacturing nuclear material and ballistic missiles. How does Israel compare? Loading Israel's formidable land, sea and air forces are derived from both the latest US and European technology as well as a robust domestic defence industry that can design, build and sustain a full range of armaments, allowing it to take on opponents on multiple fronts at the same time. For a small nation, it also has a considerable supply of troops, with about 170,000 active duty forces and another 400,000 reserves. Though fewer than Iran, Israel's forces have been battle-hardened by regional conflicts. One option for Iran's counterstrike may include hundreds of ballistic missiles targeting Israel, though how long that could be sustained is unclear. In October 2024, a massive Iranian missile assault on Israel caused only limited damage, partly because of US help in shooting down Iranian missiles. That defence was made possible by Israel's multi-tiered missile defences. The sophisticated system, developed over decades with considerable US support, is capable of detecting incoming fire and deploying only if the projectile is headed toward a population centre or sensitive military or civilian infrastructure. Israeli leaders say the system isn't 100 per cent guaranteed, but credit it with preventing serious damage and countless casualties. Israel is widely believed to be the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East, though it has never acknowledged having such weapons. Israel also has a steadfast ally in the United States, which has been key in previous conflicts and will likely be crucial in any that follow. The US role The United States has distanced itself from the Israeli actions, but could be a target of Iranian retaliation. Among the US assets in the region are an aircraft carrier with about 60 fighters in the Arabian Sea, along with dozens of other jets at bases throughout the region – as well as thousands of troops. America also has 'bunker-buster' bombs, which have assumed central importance because of Iran's Fordow nuclear site buried deep within a mountain. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Israel took 'unilateral action against Iran', warning Iran not to target US forces in retaliation. In recent days, the US began pulling some diplomats from Iraq's capital and offering voluntary evacuations for the families of US troops in the wider Middle East. Israel already curtailed Iran's ability to fight back, having decimated Iranian proxies Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah and heavily bombed Iran's air defence systems. Ahead of Friday's strikes, Iran had vowed massive retaliation for any attack, not just against Israel but also US bases in the region, with one official vowing to in effect drive the US from the Middle East through the destruction of its military infrastructure.
