Latest news with #EyalZamir
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'Ring of fire': Israel says it flipped Iran's war doctrine; IDF vows unrelenting pace
Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, Chief of Staff of the IDF (Picture source: IDF) Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, Chief of Staff of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), told Israel's intelligence officers on Thursday that the country had turned Iran's 'ring of fire' against them — a reference to alleged years of Iranian preparation for attacks on Israel. "We are now turning the 'ring of fire' -- the sword that they built for years to attack us -- against them on their territory," Zamir told troops in the Intelligence Directorate. He went on to praised their efforts and described the current operations as transformative. 'What we are doing here is historic — we are changing the face of the Middle East,' he said, adding that their success was being closely watched around the world. Zamir credited the team with 'extraordinary capabilities,' calling them the people behind making the campaign possible. "Every citizen of this country, and the whole world, is looking at you with admiration and respect. Everyone wants to learn how this happened, and I'm telling you, there are miracles, and those that make them happen are people, and in this case, those people are you." The statement followed his visit to the IDF's Targeting Center, where officials said major operations had recently been carried out against Iranian positions, reported Jerusalem Post. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Meanwhile, Major General Shlomi Binder said that the IDF struck Iran's elite Quds Force heavily on the first night of operations. He said one covert headquarters in the mountains was destroyed, and hours later, another strike targeted the Chief of Staff of Khatam al-Anbiya — Iran's main construction and engineering arm linked to its military — who had moved to a nearby location in Tehran. "Two days ago, thanks to excellent work by the headquarters and command and control array, we struck one of the regime's covert headquarters in the mountains. Some of the commanders managed to flee to a secondary location. Twelve hours later, we succeeded in striking the Chief of Staff of Khatam al-Anbiya, who had fled to the same secondary location in another mountain ridge in Tehran," he said. Binder said about 30 commanders had been targeted so far, with several senior names already made public. He stressed that the campaign would continue at full pace because Israel would not tolerate the threat. "We need to deliver, increase the pace, and that's exactly what we're doing," he said. "Because this is the kind of threat that, I emphasise, the State of Israel cannot tolerate. Period. That's the reason we launched this campaign, and that's the reason you are working hard."
Business Insider
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
Photos show Israel's F-15I Ra'am 'Thunder' fighter jets used in strikes against Iran's nuclear program
The Israeli Air Force is using F-15I Ra'am fighter jets to target Iran's nuclear program. The Israeli variant of Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle planes can fly up to 2,765 miles without refueling. The State Department approved the sale of 50 new F-15I planes to Israel in August 2024. Israel's fleet of F-15I warplanes, a modified version of the Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle, can fly long distances while carrying thousands of pounds of weapons. Israel has used F-15I planes in strikes against Iran's nuclear program, which Israel Defense Forces Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir called an "existential threat." The planes are part of the Israeli Air Force 's fleet of advanced fighter jets acquired from the US and enhanced with military technology manufactured in Israel. Here's a look at the cutting-edge military aircraft. F-15I Ra'am fighter jets are Israeli versions of Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle planes. Following the 1991 Gulf War, during which Iraq fired Scud missiles into Israeli cities, Israel acquired the long-range planes in order to bolster its air defense system. The Israeli Air Force considered an array of models before ordering 25 F-15I planes for $2.4 billion in 1994, The New York Times reported. The first F-15I planes arrived in Israel in 1998. Israel's then-minister of defense, Itzchak Mordechai, formally accepted the planes in a ceremony at Boeing's plant in St. Louis in November 1997. The first two F-15I jets then arrived in Israel in January 1998. "From a purely technological standpoint, the F-15I is a masterpiece. It will provide the qualitative edge Israel requires to preserve peace," Boeing's then-CEO, Phil Condit, said in a statement in 1997. The Israeli Air Force named its F-15I variant "Ra'am" meaning "Thunder" in Hebrew. The planes were also customized with decals of the Star of David, a six-pointed Jewish symbol that appears on the Israeli flag. Israel added its own computer system, terrain-mapping radar, and display and sight helmet, or DASH, to the planes. Each aircraft can carry 18,000 pounds of fuel and weapons, The National Interest reported. F-15I fighter jets can fly a maximum of 4,450 kilometers, or 2,765 miles, without refueling, according to the Israeli Air Force. The planes can also be refueled while airborne, enabling them to fly even longer distances. They can reach speeds exceeding Mach 2.5, or around 1,918 miles per hour. In August 2024, the State Department approved the sale of 50 new F-15I planes and upgrade kits for Israel's existing fleet totaling $20 billion. The sale also included tank ammunition, mortars, and military vehicles. Israel won't actually receive the new F-15Is until 2029, the Associated Press reported. Israel's counteroffensive airstrikes and military operations in Gaza following the Hamas-led terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023, have resulted in widespread Palestinian fatalities, increasing scrutiny of US military aid to Israel. The Israel Defense Forces said it used over 150 fighter jets to target Hezbollah leaders in Lebanon in September. In September, Israel launched an airstrike on Hezbollah's central headquarters in Beirut that killed Hassan Nasrallah, who had led the Iran-backed militant group since 1992. The Israel Defense Forces also targeted Hezbollah's military infrastructure across southern Lebanon and launched a ground offensive. The Israeli Air Force shared photos of F-15I fighter jets loaded with what appeared to be 2,000-pound BLU-109 bombs known as "bunker busters" following the airstrikes. Iran responded by launching a missile attack on Israel. US warships helped intercept the Iranian missiles, and White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan said Iran's attack was "ineffective." In June, Israel struck nuclear and military sites in Iran with over 200 fighter jets, including F-15I Ra'am planes. Beginning June 13, the Israel Defense Forces have bombarded Iran's nuclear facilities, military sites, and weapons manufacturing capabilities in an effort to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon and launching further attacks. Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at Israel, some of which have evaded Israel's air defenses and damaged residential and commercial buildings. Photos released by the Israel Defense Forces show F-15I Ra'am jets preparing to strike Iran, as well as the involvement of Israel's F-35I Adir stealth fighter jets. The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that the Israeli Air Force had conducted over 600 aerial refuelings since the beginning of the strikes, dubbed Operation Rising Lion.
Economic Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
Blind radar, blistering speed: How Israeli jets crippled Iran's air defence in 48 hours, something Russia couldn't do in 3 years
TIL Creatives Representative AI Image Within just 48 hours of launching its campaign, Israel claimed air superiority over western Iran—including the capital Tehran. Israeli jets now drop bombs from inside Iranian skies instead of relying on expensive long-range missiles. This marks a major strategic gain, especially when compared to Russia's enduring failure to control Ukrainian skies after more than three years of control over Iranian airspace is not just about planes—it's about precision, coordination, and speed. It's what Russia hoped to achieve in Ukraine but could not. Russia's air force—one of the world's largest—has been unable to gain full air control over Ukraine since February 2022. Instead, the conflict devolved into slow, costly trench warfare. Israel's campaign against Iran has gone in the opposite direction.'The two campaigns are showing the fundamental importance of air superiority in order to succeed in your overall military objectives,' said retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula. 'In the case of the Israel-Iran war, it allows them unhindered freedom to attack where they possess air superiority over segments of Iran.'The difference, experts say, lies in planning and execution. Israel's air force is smaller but far more agile, better integrated with intelligence and cyber capabilities, and equipped with modified fifth-generation F-35 jets. 'Over the past 24 hours, we completed an aerial route to Tehran and conducted an aerial breaching battle,' said Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Israeli Chief of General Staff. 'IAF pilots are flying at great risk to their lives, hundreds of kilometres away from Israel, striking hundreds of different targets with precision.'With Iran's air defences largely disabled, older Israeli aircraft like the F-15 and F-16 have joined the fight. These now deploy short-range JDAM and Spice-guided bombs—cheap, widely available, and analysts agree that Iran's air defences were easier to defeat than Ukraine's. 'Israel achieved surprise and overmatch over Iran's air defences, which represented a much easier target set than Ukraine's,' said Michael Kofman of the Carnegie Endowment. 'The asymmetry in qualitative capability between Israel's air force and Russia is also vast.' Retired British Air Marshal Edward Stringer points to culture and training. 'All the Russians have is pilots. They grow these pilots to drive flying artillery, and that's it,' he said. In contrast, Israel's military integrates cyber, air, and intelligence capabilities with tight cohesion. Unlike Ukraine, which was warned of an impending Russian invasion and dispersed its air-defence systems in early 2022, Iran was deceived. Israeli threats were timed around U.S.-Iran talks scheduled for 15 June. Instead, war began on the 13th. Covert Israeli operations destroyed Iranian air-defence nodes with short-range drones. Intelligence teams assassinated senior IRGC leaders. Michael Horowitz, an Israeli geopolitical analyst, said, 'Basically, what Israel did with Iran is what Russia wanted to do with Ukraine... but Iranian regime unpopularity made infiltration easier.' Despite maintaining air superiority, Israel continues to face ballistic missile attacks from Iran. Many of these have been intercepted, but some have reached Tel Aviv and other cities. The Israeli military confirmed it intercepted 'the vast majority of the missiles' while acknowledging 'a few impacts on buildings.'Israel's air defence system comprises several layers: Iron Dome: Designed to intercept short-range rockets, operational since 2011, with over 90% success rate. Arrow-2 and Arrow-3: Long-range interceptors targeting ballistic missiles even outside the atmosphere. Built with U.S. support. David's Sling: Targets medium-range threats. Built by Rafael and U.S. firm Raytheon. Iron Beam: A laser-based system still under development. Promising low-cost interception, but not yet operational. U.S. THAAD system: Deployed in Israel and used by the U.S. to intercept incoming Iranian missiles. Air-to-air defences: Israeli jets and helicopters have intercepted drones. Jordan's air force also downed projectiles entering its airspace. Iran relied on a fragmented mix of Russian S-300s, Chinese batteries, and local systems—none of which were adequately integrated. Crucially, Iran invested more in its missile capabilities and regional proxies than in defending its own skies. 'Iran never relied on air defences alone to ward off attacks like this. The idea was always to use deterrence,' said Fabian Hinz of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. But that deterrence—primarily Hezbollah—was crippled last year and physically cut off from Iran. Syrian air-defence systems had already been bombed by Israel, effectively opening a corridor for Israeli jets into Iran. Tehran's underinvestment now appears to have been a costly next move is clear: prevent more missile strikes by targeting launchers on the ground. 'The best way to shoot a missile is on the ground while it's in a container,' said retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Timothy Ray. 'What the Israelis are doing is just steadily leveraging an advantage.'Civilian casualties continue to mount on both sides. But from a strategic standpoint, time now appears to be on Israel's unfolding air war is being closely watched. From Washington to New Delhi, defence planners are studying it in detail. As British Air Marshal Martin Sampson put it, 'From Israel's side, the campaign objective is to destroy and degrade—and Iran doesn't have that ability.'The Israel-Iran conflict, like the Ukraine war, offers hard truths about modern warfare. The biggest among them? The side that controls the skies, controls the war.
Mail & Guardian
4 days ago
- Politics
- Mail & Guardian
Israel's offensive in Iran breaches the Geneva Conventions
Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu On 13 June, Israel launched a series of coordinated airstrikes on multiple Iranian nuclear facilities and military installations. Reports indicate that the operation also involved the targeted assassination of nuclear scientists and senior Iranian military officials. According to preliminary figures, the attacks killed about 70 Iranians and injured more than 320. In swift retaliation, Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned the strikes as a criminal act, stating that Israel had 'opened its dirty and bloody hand to a crime' by deliberately targeting civilian areas. He warned, 'The powerful hand of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic will not let Israel go unpunished.' Iranian military spokesperson Abolfazl Shekarchi echoed the threat, warning that Israel would pay a 'heavy price' for its actions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the operation as a strategic effort to degrade Iran's nuclear programme and its ballistic missile production. Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir described the strikes as a turning point, claiming that Israel had reached a 'point of no return' in a 'fight to preserve our existence'. But this narrative has drawn sharp criticism. Increasingly, Israel's invocation of a 'right to exist' is viewed as a hollow justification. Critics argue that Israel's portrayal of itself as a perpetual victim serves to deflect accountability, even as it continues to occupy and destabilise the Middle East. If Israel feels threatened, it is a consequence of its own sustained aggression and regional occupation. Israel's assault on Iran cannot be divorced from Tehran's longstanding support for the Palestinian cause. As a central pillar of the 'Axis of Resistance' — a regional alliance that includes Hezbollah in Lebanon, Syria, various Iraqi militias and the Yemeni Houthis — Iran has consistently backed armed and political groups resisting Israeli occupation and Western influence. This support, especially its material and strategic assistance to Palestinian factions in Gaza and the West Bank, has long made Iran a target of Israeli hostility. Analysts suggest that the June 2025 strikes were not merely pre-emptive attacks on nuclear infrastructure, but also punitive measures intended to weaken Iran's capacity to support Palestinian resistance. Israel's actions signal an attempt to fracture the regional coalition that has coalesced around opposition to Zionist expansionism and US hegemony in the Middle East. In this context, the offensive appears not as an isolated act of self-defence, but as a broader geopolitical move to dismantle the Axis of Resistance and deter solidarity with Palestine. Despite its declared military objectives, Israel's airstrikes caused significant damage to residential areas and civilian infrastructure in Tehran, raising serious concerns under international humanitarian law. These actions violate the principle of distinction, which prohibits attacks on civilians and civilian objects; the principle of proportionality, which forbids excessive civilian harm relative to anticipated military advantage; and the obligation to take precautions in attack to minimise civilian casualties. Civilian infrastructure is protected under Article 52 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions. Moreover, Israel has not demonstrated lawful self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter, meaning the operation constitutes an unlawful use of force. These violations amount to war crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which prohibits the deliberate targeting of civilians and disproportionate attacks. The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran confirmed that radioactive contamination caused by the attack on the Natanz uranium enrichment facility was successfully contained and reported no casualties at the site. Nonetheless, the targeting of nuclear sites poses grave humanitarian and environmental risks, including potential radiation leaks and contamination with effects that can last for centuries. Confirmed targets of the Israeli operation included: Tehran, including nearby military facilities; Natanz, where the main uranium enrichment facility was hit; Tabriz, near a nuclear research centre and two military bases; Isfahan, located south of the capital; Arak, in southwestern Iran; and Kermanshah, near the Iraqi border, where an underground ballistic missile depot was struck. Following the attacks, Israel's military issued a warning: 'Anyone who tries to challenge us will pay a heavy price.' This statement reinforces Israel's image as a belligerent state that disregards core principles of international law, including those recently affirmed by the International Court of Justice. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that the Natanz site was hit, and its director, Rafael Grossi, stated that the UN is monitoring radiation levels and is in contact with Iranian authorities and on-site inspectors. But the IAEA has yet to acknowledge Iran's official nuclear policy, which emphasizes peaceful nuclear technology, a nuclear weapons-free Middle East, and adherence to Khamenei's fatwa banning nuclear weapons. This transparent stance stands in stark contrast to Israel's ambiguous and undisclosed nuclear arsenal. In 2023, former Israeli minister Amichai Eliyahu openly suggested that using nuclear weapons against Gaza was 'an option,' later adding that Gaza had 'no right to exist' and threatening all those supporting Hamas or Palestine. Although Eliyahu was indefinitely suspended from the government, his remarks strongly imply that Israel not only possesses nuclear weapons, but also entertains their potential use. These developments raise urgent questions about the absence of international nuclear inspectors in Israel, and the inadequate response from the IAEA and the UN Security Council. As Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian stated: 'The UN Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency must take immediate and uninterrupted action to disarm this barbaric and apartheid regime.' The international response to Israel's assault has once again exposed the deep double standards of Western powers. While Western governments have swiftly condemned similar or lesser actions by other states — often invoking human rights, international law, and the UN Charter — they remain largely silent or issue only tepid statements when it comes to Israel. The same actors that vocally denounce aggression elsewhere have repeatedly shielded Israel from accountability, even in the face of clear violations of international humanitarian law. This selective outrage not only undermines the credibility of international legal norms but also emboldens Israel to act with impunity. The disparity in response highlights a geopolitical bias where the rules-based international order is applied unequally and used as a weapon against adversaries, but disregarded when violations are committed by allies or strategic partners. In failing to hold Israel accountable, the international community risks legitimising the suppression of resistance movements and entrenching cycles of impunity and occupation across the region. Sõzarn Barday is a writer and attorney based in South Africa and has a particular interest in human rights in the Middle East. Opinions shared represent her individual perspective.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Sky supremacy: Why Israel owns Iran's skies-Russia still can't crack Ukraine's
Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze after a missile launched from Iran struck Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP photo) In the fourth day of open war between Israel and Iran, both countries are reeling from mutual missile attacks, a mounting civilian toll, and a grim sense that the conflict has only just begun. Israeli jets struck Iranian military, nuclear, and command infrastructure as far east as Mashhad. Iran retaliated by launching hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones into Israeli cities, killing more than two dozen civilians and injuring hundreds. Yet despite the chaos, one strategic truth has crystallized: Israel now owns Iran's skies. Israeli aircraft are flying unhindered over Iran's capital, dropping bombs from within Iranian territory-something that the Russian Air Force has conspicuously failed to accomplish in Ukraine after more than three years of war. The contrast is not just tactical; it's philosophical. The current war began Friday with a surprise Israeli strike that destroyed much of Iran's top military command, set back its nuclear program, and cratered air defense installations across western Iran. Since then, Israeli air power has dismantled nearly a third of Iran's surface-to-surface missile launchers and taken out key leaders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Meanwhile, Iranian salvos continue to rain down on Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Petah Tikva, with civilian deaths rising by the hour. The destruction on both sides is immense. But Israel, unlike Russia, has secured the rarest-and arguably most decisive-military advantage in modern warfare: unchallenged control of enemy airspace. Why air superiority matters The Israeli campaign, as devastating as it is, also underscores a broader lesson about 21st-century warfighting: whoever controls the skies controls the tempo, scale, and eventual outcome of the fight. 'The two campaigns are showing the fundamental importance of air superiority in order to succeed in your overall military objectives,' retired US Air Force Lt Gen David Deptula told the Wall Street Journal. 'In the case of Russia-Ukraine war, you see what happens when neither side can achieve air superiority: stalemate and devolution to attrition-based warfare. In the case of the Israel-Iran war, it allows them unhindered freedom to attack where they possess air superiority over segments of Iran. ' That freedom has translated into a relentless bombing campaign using a blend of fifth-generation stealth F-35s-custom-modified by Israel-and older, more expendable F-15s and F-16s once Iran's air defenses were degraded. Now, Israel is relying more on cheap, plentiful guided bombs like the JDAM and Spice kits instead of expensive long-range missiles. The effect: more strikes, lower cost, and more devastation. Lt Gen Eyal Zamir, Chief of Staff of the Israeli military, described the offensive with cold precision. 'IAF pilots are flying at great risk to their lives, hundreds of kilometers away from Israel, striking hundreds of different targets with precision,' he said. What Russia couldn't-and can't-do The success stands in stark contrast to Russia's ongoing frustrations in Ukraine. Despite possessing one of the largest air forces in the world, Russia has failed to establish air dominance over its neighbor. Its jets still do not operate freely over Kyiv or other major Ukrainian cities. Instead, the war has devolved into trench fighting, artillery duels, and long-range missile attacks-precisely the scenario Israeli planners worked to avoid. Why the difference? As per the WSJ report, one reason is qualitative. 'The asymmetry in capability between Israel's air force and Russia's is vast and can be easily observed,' Michael Kofman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment and an expert on Russian and Ukrainian militaries, told the WSJ. Israeli pilots fly with tighter integration into cyber and intelligence operations. Their training emphasizes maneuver, autonomy, and real-time decision-making. Russian pilots, by contrast, fly what retired British Air Marshal Edward Stringer calls 'flying artillery.' 'All the Russians have is pilots,' Stringer said. 'They grow these pilots to drive flying artillery, and that's it.' Iran's fatal miscalculation Israel's air war has benefited from something else: Iran's glaring strategic blind spots. Over decades, Tehran invested in missile deterrence-not air defense. And when the attacks began, Iran's air defense system-an ad-hoc mix of S-300s, Chinese knockoffs, and home-built batteries-was overwhelmed. 'Iran never relied on air defenses alone to ward off attacks like this. The idea was always to use deterrence,' said Fabian Hinz of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. But deterrence failed. Iran's strongest deterrent, Hezbollah, was crippled last year and physically cut off by Israel's destruction of the Syrian corridor. Israeli strikes on Syrian air-defense systems effectively opened a corridor-a 'superhighway'-for Israeli planes to reach Iranian airspace unopposed. Unlike Ukraine, which used early US intelligence in 2022 to scatter and conceal its mobile air defenses, Iran was caught by surprise. Israeli intelligence operatives and drones sabotaged key systems on the ground in the hours before the first wave of strikes. Simultaneously, Mossad assassinated top military leaders in their homes. 'What Israel did with Iran is what Russia wanted to do with Ukraine,' Israeli analyst Michael Horowitz told the Journal. 'But it turned out that the Ukrainian society has a resilience and cannot be so easily penetrated-whereas when it comes to Iran, the regime is so unpopular that it's easy to find people there who will agree to work with Israel.' The numbers game For now, Israeli generals believe time is on their side. Iran's missile attacks continue, but with one-third of its launchers gone and Israeli jets flying freely, the odds are shifting. 'It's a numbers game, and it seems like Israel has the upper hand,' said retired US Air Force Gen. Timothy Ray. 'After all, the best way to shoot a missile is on the ground while it's in a container, and not in the air while it's flying.' Ray's comment reveals the brutal calculus behind air campaigns: preemptive destruction isn't just tactical-it's strategic, psychological, and political. With Iran reeling and international pressure mounting, Israel may have redefined modern air warfare. Not since the opening days of the Gulf War has a country so swiftly gained dominance over an adversary's skies. And as Russia grinds on in the mud of eastern Ukraine, Israel has flown past in the stratosphere-proving that supremacy in the air remains the shortest path to power on the ground.
