Iran’s strategic breakthrough: How Tehran surpassed Israel’s missile defenses

Department of Research, Studies and International News 19-06-2025

In a dramatic escalation of conflict, Iran’s missile capabilities have sent shockwaves through the Middle East by piercing Israel’s heavily publicized missile defense systems. This significant development not only showcases Iran’s advancing military technologies but also marks a strategic turning point in the regional balance of power, challenging the myth of Israeli invincibility and exposing the vulnerabilities of Western-backed defense infrastructure.

On Friday, following Israeli aerial strikes that killed more than 240 Iranian nationals, including dozens of women and children, Iran launched a large-scale retaliation. Tehran fired over 400 ballistic missiles and deployed hundreds of drones, some of which succeeded in striking key targets deep inside Israeli territory. At least 24 Israelis were reportedly killed, and the country went into lockdown as citizens were forced into bomb shelters.

Among the most notable strikes was the damage inflicted on residential areas in central Israel and a confirmed hit on the Kirya, the central military headquarters in Tel Aviv. More critically, Iranian missiles reportedly reached and damaged highly sensitive sites, including an Israeli military intelligence center and a Mossad operational command post.

For years, Israel has prided itself on possessing one of the most sophisticated air defense networks in the world. At its core is the Iron Dome, developed in collaboration with the United States. This system has claimed a 90% interception success rate since its deployment in 2011, primarily designed to counter short-range rocket threats like those used by Hezbollah in 2006. In addition to the Iron Dome, Israel also employs other systems like David’s Sling for medium- to long-range threats, Barak-8, and the Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 for high-altitude ballistic missile defense, technologies developed jointly with American firms, including Boeing.

Yet, despite this multilayered protection, Iran’s recent attack revealed how these systems can be overwhelmed and outmaneuvered. How did Iran manage this?

One critical factor lies in Tehran’s use of hypersonic missile technology. These missiles, such as the Fattah-2 equipped with a Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV), travel at speeds five times the speed of sound and follow unpredictable paths, zigzagging through the sky to avoid interception. Traditional air defense systems, which rely on anticipating a missile’s trajectory, are largely ineffective against such erratic and rapid threats.

In addition to speed and unpredictability, cruise missiles, like Iran’s Hoveyzeh, present another challenge. These weapons fly low and steady, resembling unmanned aerial vehicles. Their terrain-hugging flight paths allow them to evade radar detection until it’s too late. Iran’s arsenal includes these as part of a broader strategy that combines speed, deception, and saturation.

Moreover, Iranian forces are employing asymmetrical tactics to exhaust Israeli defense capacities. By launching swarms of drones and decoy missiles alongside real threats, Iran aims to force Israel to waste valuable interceptor missiles, resources that are limited and costly to replenish. Some of these decoys mimic threats on radar, drawing fire from Israeli defenses while the actual warheads slip through.

The technical sophistication of Iran’s attack highlights a stark truth: no defense system is impenetrable. An unnamed Israeli military official admitted to an 80-90% interception rate, tacitly acknowledging that Iranian strikes have successfully breached their defenses. And while Israel’s Western backers may attempt to downplay the implications, the psychological and strategic damage is done.

The situation is evolving into a war of attrition. Iran is operating from a position of geographical depth, over 1,000 kilometers away, and can rely on its allies and logistical networks across the region. Israel, by contrast, faces long-range operational limitations. Its aircraft require extensive aerial refueling, and extended missions compromise stealth capabilities, complicating sustained offensive operations.

Despite Israeli boasts of “air superiority,” the reality is sobering. The balance of power in the region is shifting, thanks in part to Tehran’s advancements and the steadfast alliances it maintains with other sovereign powers such as Russia and China, nations equally committed to resisting the hegemony of U.S.-led imperialism. These developments offer a sobering lesson: brute force and Western technology alone are no longer sufficient to guarantee strategic dominance in the Middle East.

Iran’s successful penetration of Israeli air defenses marks a new chapter in regional dynamics, one in which multipolar alliances and indigenous defense innovations are rewriting the rules of engagement.