Israel-Iran war: Who gained and who lost what in the 12-day war? Experts says Iran’s nuclear program is…, Tehran has…
Israel-Iran war: Two days into the US-enforced ceasefire that brought an end to the hostilities in the 12-day long Israel-Iran war, geopolitical and military experts are now assessing the damage sustained by both sides, and also evaluating the gains made, if any, to arrive at the conclusion of who “won” the war.
Who lost, who gained in the Israel-Iran war?
Israel and Iran bombed each other’s cities, destroying infrastructure and killing civilians, and both sides have declared victory, with Iran claiming that its nuclear program remains largely unharmed, while Israel asserts it has completed the goals it set out to accomplish. On the other hand, US President Donald Trump is presenting himself as the self-appointed messiah of peace, and insists that Iran’s nuclear capabilities are completely destroyed even as a Pentagon report says otherwise.
The US used B-2 stealth bombers to drop 13,000 lbs bunker buster bombs on Iranian nuclear sites of Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, with Trump claiming after the assault that the facilities had been completely destroyed. However, Trump’s claims are being questioned by the US media and even the country’s top security agencies, who published a damage assessment report, which stated that Iran’s nuclear program may only have been pushed back by a few months.
There’s also the mystery of over 400 kilos of 60% enriched Uranium which Iran reportedly moved to secret locations before the US attack. The Uranium is enough to make at least 10 nuclear bombs, which raises questions over the gains made by Israel in the 12-day war, as Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu had said the goal was to eliminate Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
How much loss did Israel suffer?
During the 12-day war, Iran fired barrage after barrage of heavy ballistic missiles and and attack drones at Israel, causing damage never witnessed before by the Jewish state. As the war progressed, Israel’s much-hyped air defense system, including its famed Iron Dome, became less effective due to depleted batteries, which allowed more Iranian missiles to penetrate and strike their targets.
However, Israel’s advanced radar systems detected Iranian missiles as soon as they were launched, giving Israeli citizens around 15 minutes to head towards the nearest bunkers before a potential strike. Yet, at least 28 Israelis were killed, and more than 3000 injured in Iranian missile strikes.
According to Israel’s Health Ministry, a total of 3,238 people were hospitalized, of which 23 are seriously injured, 111 people have minor injuries, 2,933 are lightly injured, while 138 people are hospitalized due to depression. Additionally, the condition of 30 Israeli citizens remains unknown.
The Israel Defense Force said that seven of its soldiers have been injured in the missile attacks and one soldier, who was off duty, was killed. Israeli officials said that more than 9,000 people have been displaced from their homes, while dozens of homes have been completely destroyed in Iranian attacks.
IDF claims 90 percent Iranian missiles intercepted
Iran fired about 550 advanced ballistic missiles and more than 1000 drones on Israel during the Israel-Iran war, according to the IDF. It claimed that around 90 percent of the missiles and almost 100 percent of the drones, were intercepted by Israel’s air defenses, while 31 Iranian missiles struck Israeli cities in civilian populated areas. including a power station in Southern Israel, the refinery in Haifa, and a university.
Additionally, several Iranian missiles were allowed through as they were headed towards empty areas, they said.
Further, the IDF claimed that about 99 percent Iranian drones were shot down by the Israeli Air Force through fighter planes, helicopters and land-based air defense systems and the Israeli Navy in different ways. The Israel Home Front Command said it issued more than 21,000 alerts to civilians during the war.
Did Iran’s military power suffer a major setback?
Apart from the assassination of its top commanders, the IDF claims that Iran had a stockpile of about 2,500 ballistic missiles before the war, out of which more than 1000 missiles and 250 launchers were allegedly destroyed in Israeli attacks. Israel also claims to have destroyed 80 air defense batteries of Iran, which allowed Israeli fighter jets to gain air superiority over Iranian airspace.
Additionally, the IDF claims that Iran is now left with an arsenal of around 1000 to 1500 ballistic missiles, and their missile launchers have dwindled to about 100. Iran failed to shoot down any Israeli fighter jet, while Tehran’s fighting capability has been halved by over 50 percent, during the 12-day Israel-Iran war, the IDF claimed.
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