Iran Struck Five Israeli Military Sites During 12-Day War

Iran directly hit five Israeli military installations during the recent 12-day war, according to radar data shared with The Telegraph, challenging Israel’s narrative of total missile defense success and escalating the strategic fallout of the conflict.

Covert Strikes Uncovered

Radar imagery reviewed by U.S. academics at Oregon State University revealed that six Iranian missiles struck five separate IDF facilities across northern, central, and southern Israel. The targets included a major airbase, an intelligence-gathering center, and a logistics base.

These strikes had not been publicly disclosed by the Israeli government, due to military censorship laws. The Israeli military declined to comment on the report but said all units remained operational.

Missile Penetration Rises Through War

While Israeli and U.S. defenses intercepted the majority of Iran’s missiles, analysis shows around 16% were getting through by the end of the first week, up from just 2% in the opening days. This suggests a decline in interceptor availability and growing Iranian missile sophistication.

Israel’s multi-layered defense includes Iron Dome for short-range threats, David’s Sling for medium-range, and Arrow for long-range ballistic missiles. The U.S. bolstered these systems with THAAD batteries and ship-based interceptors, launching at least 36 missiles at a cost of $12 million each.

Broader Damage and Strategic Claims

The five military base hits add to the 36 known successful Iranian strikes, which damaged residential and industrial areas, including:

• Parts of the Weizmann Institute
• Soroka University Medical Center in Be'er Sheva
• Seven residential districts, displacing over 15,000 people

Despite the impact, Israeli officials reported only 28 fatalities, attributed to widespread shelter use and civil defense protocols.

Information War and Ongoing Tensions

Iranian officials are using footage of missile penetrations to rally domestic support, claiming success over Israel’s famed air defenses. Iranian tactics reportedly involved coordinated drone and missile barrages to overload and confuse interception systems.

Israeli officials acknowledge only half of Iran’s launchers were destroyed and warn Tehran is accelerating its missile production. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claims only 25–30% of its missile capabilities were used.

The findings are likely to fuel both public debate within Israel and regional calculations around deterrence and escalation.