TEHRAN – Iran has begun implementing major upgrades to its domestic air-defense systems following the recent 12-day conflict with Israel, a senior military official announced, saying the improvements are aimed at strengthening the country’s readiness and closing operational gaps identified during the fighting.

Reza Khajeh, Deputy for Operations of the Army Air Defense Force, said in an interview with IRIB on Friday that work is already underway to enhance system performance, resolve technical vulnerabilities, and integrate upgraded platforms into Iran’s combat structure. “Many of the weaknesses in our systems are being addressed, and once the process is complete, the upgraded systems will join the Army Air Defense’s order of battle,” he said.

On June 13, 2025, the Israeli regime launched an unprovoked attack on Iranian territory, triggering a 12-day war that claimed the lives of well over 1,000 Iranians, including military commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians. The United States also got involved in the war by bombing three Iranian nuclear sites. The stated justification for the aggression was to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, a claim for which neither Israel nor the U.S. provided any evidence.

Khajeh emphasized that Iran faced a wide coalition during the conflict, not merely the Israeli military. “We were not only fighting the Zionist regime; we were facing NATO and the West,” he said, citing claims that more than 33 countries provided support to Israel.

He added that despite intense pressure, the country’s integrated air-defense network “did not stop working for even a moment.” Several Iranian systems were hit and personnel from both the Army and the IRGC were killed, but Khajeh insisted the network remained fully operational throughout.

According to Khajeh, Iranian air defenses downed more than 196 hostile aircraft and unmanned systems during the 12-day conflict. Most were advanced Israeli UAVs — including Heron and Hermes models — used for command-and-control, target acquisition, and battle management.

He rejected claims made by foreign commentators that Iran had been caught off guard by the initial strikes. “All commanders and system operators were at their posts hours before the attacks began,” he said, adding that every system assigned to western Iran was in full operational mode.

Khajeh described the conflict as a “hybrid war,” involving cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, standoff weapons, loitering munitions, and stealth platforms. He said many retired air-defense personnel voluntarily contacted the force to rejoin operations, underscoring a “nationwide sense of duty.”

Khajeh noted that long-standing military sanctions left Iran operating older platforms — “second-generation equipment against fourth- and fifth-generation enemy aircraft.” Many air-defense units were struck by standoff munitions, yet operators “did not abandon their systems even when they knew a missile was seconds away.”

Khajeh said 35 air-defense service members were killed during the 12-day war. He described them as “martyrs who defended the skies of Iran,” adding that their sacrifice accelerated efforts to modernize air-defense infrastructure.

Khajeh said Iran’s long-term goal is to develop the capacity to detect and destroy advanced enemy fighter jets, calling it “the ultimate aim” of current modernization efforts. “Given the capabilities in our country, we will achieve it,” he said, comparing the effort to prior leaps in missile technology.

He added that the 12-day conflict demonstrated the potential of Iranian-built air-defense systems and highlighted the complexity of modern air warfare. “Air defense is a sophisticated and evolving field,” he said. “With ongoing upgrades, we will defend our skies with even greater strength.”