The War Zone magazine casts doubt on the widely circulated claim that the United States and Israel have already secured complete air superiority over Iran.
According to the publication’s assessment, what exists so far is only localized advantage in certain areas—far from the kind of unrestricted freedom of action that would allow American and Israeli aircraft to operate across Iranian airspace without significant constraints.
At the same time, the operation is gradually entering a new phase. The United States and Israel are beginning to carry out more precise strikes from medium range—this will significantly expand the number of targets that can be engaged and broaden the types of facilities that can be struck. In particular, this includes the ability to attack fortified underground installations, including bunkers.
However, this approach also carries additional risks. Mobile air-defense systems can appear virtually anywhere, leaving aircrews with extremely limited time to react.
Risks remain particularly high in eastern Iran—a region that, compared with the western part of the country, has largely remained untouched by the fighting.