“Flying Over Tehran Like It’s Shujaiya”: Israel Dominates Skies as Iran Struggles to Respond

On the third day of Operation Rising Lion, Israel's Air Force is operating with near-complete freedom over Iranian airspace, including repeated missions deep into Tehran. Senior Israeli defense officials, speaking to Kan News, say the question now echoing across the region is simple: Where is the Iranian Air Force?

The answer, they say, lies in years of strategic neglect. Iranian military investment in recent decades prioritized UAVs and ground-to-ground missiles, leaving its fighter jet fleet badly outdated. Efforts to modernize with Russian aircraft failed to materialize, leaving Iran dependent on aging F-4 jets relics of the 1970s.

From the opening phase of the Israeli campaign, the IDF focused on dismantling Iran’s air defenses, targeting radar arrays, missile launchers, and SAM systems. “By now,” one IDF source said, “we’re flying over Tehran like it’s Shujaiya,” referring to a densely bombarded Hamas stronghold in Gaza.

Israel had prepared for a much heavier Iranian missile response at this stage of the operation. So far, roughly 290 missiles have been fired toward Israel over three days, a sharp contrast to the 350 launched in a single night during October’s direct assault.

Military analysts in Israel interpret the relative quiet as a sign of serious disruption within Iran’s command-and-control systems. “We’re seeing confusion, frustration, and an inability to coordinate,” a senior IDF official said.

Despite the relative operational dominance, Israeli defense officials remain cautious. Further missile salvos are expected tonight, especially as Tehran reels from mass civilian flight and growing domestic pressure.

Defense sources also say the IDF is far from exhausting its capabilities. "There are still cards we haven’t played," one said. “This operation was designed with depth, to preserve escalation tools and create a high-quality endgame.”

According to current estimates, completing the full scope of planned missions will likely take up to two more weeks.