Tehran/Jerusalem: Iran had a warning. Nearly three days before Israeli fighter jets screamed across the skies and struck the Natanz nuclear facility, Tehran’s top military command had been alerted. The threat was real and the source was credible. Still, when the attack came, Iran’s defences were overwhelmed.
Israel’s airstrike, targeting not only Natanz but also key military sites, dealt a symbolic and strategic blow. Despite deploying its best air defence systems, including Russian-made S-300 batteries and its own Bavar-373, Iran could not stop the incursion. Advanced stealth aircraft, a swarm of low-flying drones and a crippling cyber assault left Iran’s radars blind and its missiles silent.
Iran has invested years into building a multi-layered air defence shield. From the long-range S-300s to its indigenous Bavar-373 and mid-range systems like Khordad-15 and Shahin, the country has tried to seal its skies.
The S-300s can target objects 150 km away and track high-altitude intrusions. Bavar-373 claims even greater range, up to 250 km, and was built to rival the S-400. But in real combat conditions, none of these systems held up.
Around Natanz, home to Iran’s most sensitive nuclear assets, short and medium-range missile systems were on standby. However, when the Israeli strike unfolded, they failed to lock onto their targets.
Precision in the Shadows
Israel’s strategy was designed to confuse and overwhelm. F-35 fighter jets, equipped with radar-evading stealth tech, flew undetected. Simultaneously, Israel launched a coordinated barrage of drones and cruise missiles from multiple directions.
The timing was no accident. The strike happened just before dawn, when radar operators are least alert. To make matters worse for Iran, its military communications went dark. A cyber attack, believed to be orchestrated by Israeli intelligence, crippled the radar network and command lines – buying crucial minutes for the attackers.
Israel used bunker-busting bombs, specifically engineered to penetrate hardened underground facilities. The damage at Natanz is still being assessed, but early reports suggest critical equipment has been destroyed. Senior officers of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were killed.
Why Iran Couldn’t Stop It
Iran had time. It had the warning. What it did not have was readiness. Sources suggest it took Iranian forces nearly two full days to shift into full alert mode after the warning. That window was all Israel needed.
Iran’s radar infrastructure remains outdated in parts. Many of its air defence systems, including the newer Bavar-373, have not been tested in live combat. The F-35s’ variable altitude and speed proved too tricky for radar locks. The drones flew too low and came from too many directions.
And while Iran has made progress in missile technology, it still lags behind in cyber warfare. Its systems were simply not equipped to repel a sophisticated digital attack that targeted communications at their core.
Iran has condemned the attack, calling it an act of terrorism. But the real challenge lies within. This was a wake-up call.
Experts say the strike has exposed deep gaps in Iran’s defence capabilities. Budget constraints, sanctions and limited access to cutting-edge military technology have made it difficult for Tehran to keep pace with modern warfare, especially against a military like Israel’s, which operates in close intelligence coordination with the United States.
Israel’s strike has changed the rules of engagement. What comes next, whether retaliation, escalation or diplomacy, could redraw battle lines across the Middle East.
Iran could not stop the attack. But it launched a counter attack with full force with supersonic ballistic missiles, leaving Tel Aviv in ruins. Learning from the lessons it got hours ego, it remained alert and successfully neautralised further Israeli aggressions.
