Cutting deeply into Iran’s ability to resupply its Ballistic Missile forces means Iran’s use of those forces will limit to some degree when/how much they can use them.

Destroying the radar network that directs the Surface To Air Missile networks in Iran essentially blinds Iran’s air defense.

The fighter aircraft Iran has are not really suited for defending against this kind of attack.

No radar coordination to distinguish between decoys/drones, radars that would struggle to detect cruise missiles & simply too antiquated to be much of a threat to an Israeli attack.

Iranian fighter types in use:
F-4 phantoms
F-14 tomcats (with Russian radars, missiles & engines)
MiG-29 fulcrums

All but the MiGs are 1970’s vintage. The migs are late 1980’s vintage.

None of them capable of dealing with a serious cruise missile attack, possibly coordinated with jamming, & do so after the loss of SAM & early warning radars.

Attacking ballistic missile sites & production is direct attempt to reduce Iran’s offensive abilities to strike Israel.

Attacking air defenses (SEAD) is both to enable these ongoing strikes, but opens up Iran to larger more damaging strikes on Iran from Israel.

The prior Israeli strike targeted the search & the fire control of an S-300 Surface To Air Missile battery guarding key Iranian nuclear sites; the strike killed both radars neutralizing the SAM site, undetected. The S-300 PMU is the most advanced radar site Iran has.

If israel has engaged in a large scale SEAD strike as first phase of tonight’s attack, the IAF may have blinded the Iranian regime to any further incoming raids.

This has wider implications— if Iran launches another ballistic missile attack or any large scale attack on israel following tonight’s raid, the nuclear & oil facilities in Iran are wide open to air attack.

With Iran’s SAM & early warning radars hit, even in daylight, the AAA doesn’t stand any chance of stopping Israeli air launched ballistic missiles & very little chance of stopping cruise missiles.

Entire thread found here:

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1849123507143070149.html

Something to remember: just like with the coalition war with Iraq in ‘91, the opening waves focused on SEAD. Once the Air Defenses were blinded & SAM sites were suppressed, the attacks continued in broad daylight with fixed wing aircraft continuing to attack as well as cruise missiles continuing to swarm into Iraq & hit targets. Yes, in broad daylight. Once the attack started it never relented until the end of the war.

The point I’m making is just because its now dawn in Iran & Iraq & Syria, don’t assume the attacks won’t continue.

Smoke seen rising from an IRGC Air Defense Base near the Town of Khojir in the Tehran Province.

They’re flying circles wasting Aviation Fuel, accomplishing nothing. ⬇️

Aircraft reportedly seen and heard over the Iranian Capital of Tehran, with them believed to likely be Iranian Fighters conducting Combat Air Patrols.