Israel and U.S. Degrade Iranian Air Defenses and Missile Capabilities

The Israel Defense Forces and the United States military executed a massive joint air campaign against Iran, designated as Operation Roaring Lion and Operation Epic Fury. The conflict began on February 28, 2026, following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. By March 6, coalition forces conducted over 3,500 airstrikes, destroying approximately 80% of Iran's air defense systems and over 60% of its ballistic missile launchers.

A milestone in the conflict occurred on March 4, when an Israeli F-35I Adir shot down an Iranian Yak-130 jet over Tehran, marking the first manned air-to-air kill by an F-35 in history. Other coalition actions included the British Royal Air Force downing Iranian drones over Jordan and Iraq. Conversely, Iranian air defenses reportedly shot down a U.S. F-15 over southern Iran, though both pilots were rescued.

U.S. Central Command reported an 86% decline in Iranian missile launches, leading Israel to partially ease public restrictions and reopen Ben Gurion International Airport. However, Iran responded with precision-guided drone strikes against targets in Tel Aviv, Iraq, and Kuwait. Coalition officials also noted that Iran employed military deception, using thermal paint and ground-based decoys to mislead surveillance.

Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir announced the completion of the air superiority phase and signaled a transition to targeting the foundations of the Iranian government. Simultaneously, Israel intensified operations in Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah, which increased its missile attacks as Iranian fire declined.