The IDF expects the campaign against Iran to continue for weeks as the military intensifies strikes on the regime’s weapons production capabilities, officials said Friday.
Military officials said waves of strikes have begun targeting Iran’s military industries and other production capabilities tied to the regime’s war effort.
IDF plans weeks of strikes on Iran as campaign against military sites expands
(Video: IDF)
“It’s an important move against Iranian military industries,” officials said during a briefing on the ongoing campaign, adding that further weeks of bombing are planned. “It’s not years, but it won’t end tomorrow morning.”
According to the military, about 6,500 munitions have been dropped so far in the campaign. By comparison, about 4,000 munitions were used during the 12 days of fighting in last year’s Operation Rising Lion.
The IDF said it has destroyed about 60% of Iran’s missile launchers.
“We’re still moving around and hunting for more. There are hundreds,” officials said.
Military officials said the operation is being conducted in full coordination with the United States, which is also carrying out strikes.
They added that the results of the campaign are being seen earlier than expected and that deeper damage to Iran’s capabilities could reduce the volume of attacks on Israel.
When asked how long the war could last, officials said the timeline remains uncertain.
“It will last as long as it lasts. Patience is required,” officials said. “We hope the regime collapses soon and that an alternative leader emerges, but we’re not building our plans on hope.”
They stressed that the military’s objective is not to topple Iran’s leadership but to weaken the regime and its capabilities.
“This is an opportunity,” officials said, referring to the broader effort against Iran and its regional allies. “If the proxies collapse as well, it becomes a house of cards.”
Since the start of the fighting there, the military said it has attacked about 170 rocket launchers and other infrastructure tied to rocket fire, Hezbollah’s Radwan force and command-and-control systems.
Strikes in Beirut’s Dahieh district
In Beirut’s Dahieh district, a Hezbollah stronghold, the IDF struck buildings used as command centers as well as figures linked to the group’s leadership.
Another target of the campaign is Hezbollah’s drone production infrastructure, according to the military.
In Iran, the Israeli Air Force carried out strikes in the Shiraz area on Friday, dropping about 200 munitions in more than 100 combat sorties.
The military said missile launchers were among the targets and reiterated that more than 60% of Iran’s launchers have been destroyed.
Separately, the IDF said the Air Force continued striking in western Iran throughout the day, hitting more than 400 regime targets in several areas.
Targets included ballistic missile launchers and storage sites for unmanned aerial vehicles.
During one strike, an Israeli aircraft identified a truck carrying an Iranian regime air defense system near Shahroud as it attempted to move the system to another location.
After the vehicle was detected, the Air Force struck the truck and destroyed the air defense system, the IDF said.