Israel Conducts Its Largest Air Combat Operation in History Against Iran With 200 Fighter Jets.

Israel conducted its largest air combat operation to date, deploying roughly 200 fighter jets under the U.S.-designated framework Operation Epic Fury to strike more than 500 missile and air defense targets across western and central Iran. The масштабed operation significantly degrades Iran’s missile arsenal and integrated air defenses, expanding Israeli aerial freedom while signaling close coordination with U.S. strategic planning.

Israel has carried out the largest air combat mission in its history, launching approximately 200 Israeli Air Force fighter jets in a coordinated strike campaign identified by the United States as Operation Epic Fury, targeting more than 500 sites tied to Iran’s ballistic missile launch infrastructure and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-operated long-range air defense systems. The synchronized wave of precision strikes focused on suppressing integrated air defenses and dismantling key elements of Iran’s missile arsenal across western and central Iran, dramatically widening Israeli freedom of action in contested airspace and marking a significant shift in Jerusalem’s direct military posture toward Tehran within a broader U.S.-Israeli operational framework.
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Map released by the Israeli Air Force illustrating Operation Epic Fury, a coordinated strike involving approximately 200 aircraft that targeted more than 500 Iranian missile and air defense sites, marking the largest air combat operation in Israel’s history. (Picture source: Israeli Air Force)

According to information released by the Israeli Air Force on February 28, 2026, the strikes were conducted after what it described as precise operational planning supported by high-grade intelligence. Within the framework of Operation Epic Fury, U.S. and Israeli coordination reportedly focused on intelligence sharing, regional airspace deconfliction, and strategic targeting priorities. However, the strike package itself was executed by Israeli aircraft. The targets included missile arrays, surface-to-air missile batteries, radar installations, and command nodes across multiple Iranian provinces, struck nearly simultaneously to overwhelm defensive response cycles and fracture Iran’s integrated air defense network.

Citing the Israeli Air Force, several Iranian air defense missile systems were destroyed during the airstrike operations, including the S-300, which the IAF referenced under the codename SA-69, the Khordad-3 system identified as SA-65, and the RAAD-1 system designated SA-63. These code names, used operationally by the Israeli Air Force for classification and targeting purposes, correspond to key components of Iran’s layered air defense architecture. The S-300, broadly comparable in capability to earlier Patriot configurations, is designed to engage aircraft and ballistic missiles at ranges exceeding 150 kilometers, depending on variant and missile type. It forms the backbone of Iran’s strategic air defense shield, protecting nuclear facilities, missile depots, and high-value command infrastructure.

The Khordad-3, with an engagement range estimated between 50 and 75 kilometers, gained international attention in 2019 when it downed a U.S. RQ-4 Global Hawk. Its phased-array radar and vertical launch system provide mid-range coverage against aircraft and high-altitude targets. The RAAD-1, designated SA-63 by the IAF, represents a shorter-range component optimized for layered defense against low-flying aircraft and cruise missiles, contributing to point and area defense of critical IRGC facilities. The reported destruction of these systems indicates a deliberate effort to dismantle both long-range and medium-range engagement layers in a single coordinated strike window.

Neutralizing these defenses required a large-scale suppression-and-destruction campaign against enemy air defenses. The Israeli Air Force operates F-35I Adir stealth fighters capable of penetrating contested airspace, alongside F-15I Ra’am and F-16I Sufa strike aircraft that deliver heavy payloads of precision-guided munitions. The combination likely involved stand-off weapons such as the SPICE family of guided bombs and long-range cruise missiles, supported by electronic warfare and real-time intelligence fusion. Synchronizing roughly 200 aircraft across long distances would have required extensive aerial refueling support and a resilient command-and-control network capable of managing dynamic targeting in hostile airspace.

The reported destruction of more than 500 targets indicates a campaign-scale operation rather than a limited retaliatory strike. By simultaneously attacking missile launchers and air defense batteries, Israel appears to have aimed not only to degrade Iran’s immediate strike capability but also to fracture its ability to contest follow-on air operations. Expanding aerial superiority over western and central Iran reduces operational risk for subsequent reconnaissance, strike, or deterrence missions and increases strategic pressure on Tehran’s missile forces.

Within the broader context of Operation Epic Fury, the operation underscores deep U.S.-Israeli defense integration. Even if U.S. aircraft were not publicly identified as part of the strike wave, the framework implies synchronized intelligence architecture, satellite support, and strategic command alignment. For Washington, such integration strengthens regional deterrence and signals to adversaries that Israeli long-range strike capacity is nested within a broader U.S. strategic umbrella.

Strategically, the operation challenges Iran’s long-standing investment in layered air defense networks intended to shield its ballistic missile forces and critical infrastructure. The demonstrated ability to penetrate and dismantle key components of that network, including systems identified by the IAF as SA-69, SA-65, and SA-63, raises questions about the survivability of fixed missile sites and hardened facilities in a sustained air campaign. It may also compel Iran to accelerate dispersal tactics, mobility enhancements, and acquisition of more advanced air defense technologies.

From an industrial and modernization standpoint, the strike highlights the operational maturity of Israel’s F-35I fleet and the continuing relevance of heavy strike aircraft capable of delivering large volumes of precision munitions. The scale of the mission reinforces the importance of tanker modernization programs and next-generation munitions procurement to sustain deep-strike endurance against peer-level air defenses.

The immediate outcome is a significant reduction in Iran’s western and central air defense density and an expansion of Israeli operational corridors. The longer-term consequence may be a recalibration of Iran’s deterrence posture and a tightening of U.S.-Israeli military integration under Operation Epic Fury, shaping the next phase of strategic competition in the Middle East.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.