WASHINGTON, D.C.- The United States and Israel launched a large-scale air campaign against Iran beginning February 28, targeting the country’s leadership, missile forces, and military infrastructure through sustained aerial strikes.
The operation relies heavily on stealth fighters, long-range bombers, drones, and precision missiles.
The conflict has affected regional aviation operations, including activity near Tehran and Tel Aviv, as missile and drone strikes targeted nearby military facilities and airspace across the region.
US-Israel War Against Iran
The United States and Israel opened the campaign with a surprise daytime strike on Iran’s capital on Feb. 28.
The objective was to weaken Iran’s military capability and leadership through continuous bombing raids and missile attacks.
Military strategists have compared the campaign with earlier operations where airpower helped influence political outcomes.
NATO’s 1999 bombing campaign against Yugoslavia increased pressure that eventually led to the removal of President Slobodan Milošević in 2000. In Libya, coalition airstrikes supported a citizen uprising that removed Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
According to Aviation Week, the campaign began with cyber and space operations designed to disrupt Iran’s command networks before the first missile strikes occurred.
The US government authorized the operation on Feb. 27 at 3:38 PM EST, initiating Operation Epic Fury.
US Cyber Command and Space Command first targeted Iranian communications and sensor systems. The first kinetic strikes began at 1:15 AM EST on Feb. 28, when RTX Tomahawk cruise missiles struck multiple targets.
Within the first 48 hours, U.S. forces reported hitting approximately 1,250 targets across Iran.
Rapid Air Superiority Over Iranian Territory
USAF and Israeli forces quickly achieved air superiority across Iranian airspace. This allowed surveillance and strike aircraft to operate with minimal resistance.
Uncrewed aircraft such as the General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper and Israel’s Elbit Systems Hermes 900 conducted reconnaissance and battle damage assessment missions. Israeli fighters were able to operate over Tehran within 48 hours, demonstrating the collapse of Iranian air defense coverage.
The opening phase of the conflict produced several historic events in aerial combat.
An Israeli Lockheed Martin F-35 shot down an Iranian Yakovlev Yak-130 trainer and light-attack aircraft. This marked the first known instance of an F-35 destroying a crewed aircraft in combat.
Other regional air forces also engaged Iranian aircraft and drones. United Kingdom F-35 fighters patrolling the skies over Jordan intercepted their first hostile drone. Qatar reported shooting down two Iranian Sukhoi Su-24 aircraft.
A separate incident occurred when Kuwait mistakenly shot down 3 US F-15 fighters in a friendly fire event. All 6 crew members survived the incident.
Early Targets: Leadership and Strategic Systems
Initial strikes focused on Iran’s leadership and strategic military assets.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior military and intelligence leaders were reportedly killed during the early phase of the campaign. Coalition strikes also targeted air defense systems, missile launch infrastructure, and command centers.
Iran’s air defense network offered limited resistance because many systems had already been damaged during earlier attacks by Israel and the United States the previous year.
Iran’s Missile and Drone Response
Iran responded primarily with large volleys of ballistic missiles and one-way attack drones targeting military installations and infrastructure across the region.
Missile and drone strikes affected locations in Israel, Gulf Arab states, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. Several attacks targeted military bases and nearby civilian infrastructure.
One strike destroyed a tactical operations center, killing 6 US service members. A separate incident in Iran resulted in more than 150 civilian deaths when a school was struck during the exchange of attacks.
Iran previously maintained an arsenal of roughly 3,000 ballistic missiles, according to Israeli defense officials. However, the number of active launches dropped quickly as coalition strikes destroyed launch sites and support infrastructure.
By March 4, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine reported that Iranian ballistic missile launches had decreased by 86 percent, while one way drone launches had fallen by 73 percent.
Israel also reported destroying approximately 300 Iranian missile launchers by March 3.
Regional Air Defense Operations
Several countries activated advanced air defense systems to counter Iranian attacks.
Data from the United Arab Emirates Defense Ministry showed the scale of Iranian missile activity during the early stages of the conflict.
The UAE reported intercepting 137 ballistic missiles on the first day of fighting. The total rose to 165 within 24 hours and increased more slowly to 196 by March 5.
UAE radar systems also detected 1,072 attack drones, intercepting 1,001 of them. Only 71 drones reached UAE territory.
During these operations, the UAE introduced the South Korean KM-SAM Block II air defense system for the first time in combat.
Drone Warfare and New Weapons
The conflict introduced several new weapons systems.
The United States deployed the SpektreWorks Low-Cost Unmanned Combat Attack System, a drone designed to replicate the concept of Iran’s Shahed-136 loitering munition.
U.S. Central Command used the drones extensively, describing them as low-cost strike weapons capable of overwhelming air defenses.
The United States also debuted the Lockheed Martin Precision Strike Missile, a ground-launched long-range weapon designed to replace the Army Tactical Missile System.
Naval operations were also significant. Near Sri Lanka, a US Navy submarine sank an Iranian naval vessel in the first American torpedo attack since World War II.
U.S. naval strikes destroyed more than 20 Iranian vessels, including the Shahid Bagheri drone carrier and Iran’s most advanced submarine.
Transition in US Strike Tactics
During the first phase of the war, US forces relied heavily on long-range standoff weapons.
Around March 4, the strategy shifted toward stand-in weapons deployed by aircraft operating closer to targets. These included:
- 500-lb guided bombs
- 1,000-lb guided bombs
- 2,000-lb precision bombs
- AGM-114 Hellfire missiles fired from drones
This shift reduced pressure on limited stocks of long-range precision missiles.
By early March, the United States had dropped more than 2,000 munitions, while Israel had used roughly 5,000 weapons.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated the first 100 hours of combat cost approximately $3.7 billion.
Weapon Production and Supply Concerns
Sustaining the campaign raised concerns about weapon stockpiles. Israel’s Defense Ministry Director General Maj. Gen. Amir Baram held a meeting with major defense companies to accelerate production of precision weapons.
Israeli forces heavily used SPICE (Smart, Precise Impact, and Cost-Effective) guided bombs and also deployed newer weapons such as the Rafael Ice Breaker cruise missile.
US defense officials acknowledged similar concerns about supply levels. Michael Duffey, US defense undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment, stated that the Pentagon was working to maximize production capacity within the defense industrial base.
President Donald Trump also commented on the issue, saying US munition stocks were “good” but not where the administration ultimately wanted them to be.
Massive Air and Naval Force Deployment
The United States deployed a large range of aircraft to support the campaign.
Aircraft used during the operation included:
- Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor
- Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon
- Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II
- Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit
- Rockwell B-1B Lancer
- Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
- Boeing P-8 Poseidon
- Boeing RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft
- Northrop Grumman E-11 Battlefield Airborne Communications Node
- Boeing E-3 airborne early warning aircraft
- MQ-9 Reaper drones
- KC-46 Pegasus and KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft
The operation also involved unnamed “special capabilities” deployed by U.S. Central Command.
Naval aviation played a key role. Aircraft from the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group attacked targets along Iran’s northern border, while aircraft from the USS Abraham Lincoln focused on the southeastern coastline.
This coordinated maneuver created a pincer attack against Iranian military targets.
Pressure on Regional Bases and Aviation
Iranian drone and missile attacks targeted several military bases across the Middle East.
On March 2, Iranian drones struck the RAF Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus, prompting the United Kingdom to reinforce air defenses in the region.
The UK deployed Royal Navy Leonardo AW159 Wildcat helicopters equipped with Thales Martlet missiles to intercept incoming drones.
These attacks also disrupted nearby civilian aviation routes and airport operations throughout the region.
International Cooperation Against Drone Threats
The conflict has also triggered international cooperation to counter drone warfare.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said several countries requested assistance from Ukraine, which has extensive experience defending against Iranian Shahed drones used by Russia.
Zelenskyy stated Ukraine would consider exchanging drone-defense interceptors for Patriot air defense missiles, noting that Ukraine itself faces shortages but remains open to technological cooperation.
Future Outlook
US and Israeli officials stated the campaign could continue for several weeks.
The primary objective remains reducing Iran’s capacity to threaten regional neighbors and international shipping routes.
The operation now focuses on destroying remaining missile launch systems, naval assets, and logistical networks supporting Iran’s military operations.
While coalition airpower has already degraded many Iranian capabilities, analysts note that the long-term political impact of sustained aerial warfare remains uncertain.
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