The United States and Israel are conducting a large-scale joint air campaign aimed at dismantling Iran’s missile infrastructure. This operation is being hailed by officials and analysts as one of the most collaborative allied efforts in recent military history.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has stated that the campaign is swiftly establishing air superiority over Iran. “From last night onward, and set to be completed in a few days, the two most formidable air forces globally will have full control of Iranian airspace,” Hegseth announced on Wednesday. “The skies will be uncontested.”

Hegseth emphasized the relentless nature of the operation, saying, “We will maintain a constant presence, flying over Tehran and throughout Iran, ensuring that Iranian leaders see only U.S. and Israeli air power dominating the skies every minute of every day until we decide our mission is complete.”

The U.S. Central Command has shared video footage displaying strikes on Iranian mobile missile launchers, underscoring the intensity of the ongoing operations.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin highlighted the exceptional cooperation between the two nations. “Our collaboration with the American military is extraordinary. We are working together in both planning and executing operations in Iran and beyond,” he said.

Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview Tuesday that “the cooperation between us and the American military is amazing. We have mutual planning and mutual executing for the plans in Iran and beyond.”

John Spencer, executive director of the Urban Warfare Institute, told Fox News Digital Israel effectively matched the U.S. military’s opening airpower surge. 

“Israel matched the United States in the number of aircraft in the air,” Spencer said. “For Israel, that represents roughly 80% of its air force capability.”

He added that the level of coordination between Washington and Jerusalem represents a new model for allied warfare. 

“This isn’t separate work,” Spencer said. “This is combined work. Integrated, synchronized operations combining powers.” 

“In the past we’ve had coalitions of dozens of countries,” Spencer said. “But having a partner that is both willing and capable of bringing immense capabilities like this is very rare.”

Largest Israeli air operation in history

The Israeli campaign, known as Operation Roaring Lion, began with roughly 200 fighter jets launching the largest coordinated air operation in the history of the Israeli Air Force. 

Within the first 24 hours of the campaign, Israeli fighter jets already had opened a corridor allowing sustained operations over Tehran, according to the Israeli military.

Israeli aircraft struck missile launch sites and air defense systems across western and central Iran in an opening wave targeting hundreds of sites simultaneously using intelligence gathered by Israel’s Intelligence Directorate and the CIA.

In the joint operation, Israeli aircraft dropped hundreds of munitions on approximately 500 targets, including missile launchers, command centers and air defense batteries.

The opening strike achieved a level of surprise rarely seen in modern warfare, according to Israeli intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder. 

“In 40 seconds, we eliminated more than 40 of the most important people in Iran,” Binder said, referring to senior regime and military officials, including Iran Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. “We are sending a clear message to our enemies — there is no place where we will not find them.”

An Israeli fighter jet taking off to launched airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen.  (IDF)

Spencer said the strategy behind the opening strike represents a dramatic shift in modern warfare. 

“What Israel did in this opening campaign just wasn’t imaginable in the history of war. It never happened,” he said. “To start off by cutting off the brain… usually you target the military first. Here they targeted the political and military leadership and had the ability to wipe them out in a matter of hours.”

Spencer, a veteran of the 2003 Iraq War, said the operation reflects advances in intelligence and strike capabilities. 

“I was part of the invasion in 2003,” he said. “Something like this was unthinkable even 20 years ago.”

Massive strike campaign

An IDF spokesperson announced Wednesday what he described as a historic milestone: an Israeli Air Force F-35 fighter jet shot down an Iranian aircraft, marking the first time anywhere in the world that an F-35 has downed a manned aircraft and the first time in 40 years that an Israeli aircraft has shot down an enemy aircraft in combat.

Since the start of the operation, Israeli aircraft have carried out more than 1,600 sorties and deployed more than 5,000 munitions, according to figures released Wednesday.

The strikes have destroyed roughly 300 missile launchers and targeted more than 600 Iranian military infrastructure sites, according to the IDF.

United States Air Force aircraft in a flyover to commemorate Israel’s 75th Independence Day in May, 2023. (IDF Press Office)

Destroying Iran’s missile threat

Israeli intelligence assessments before the operation indicated Iran was accelerating its ballistic missile production with plans to reach 8,000 missiles by 2027. At the start of the campaign, Israel estimated Iran possessed roughly 3,000 missiles.

The strikes already have prevented the production of at least 1,500 ballistic missiles while destroying hundreds already in Iran’s arsenal, according to the IDF. 

Israeli officials say the missile program represented a direct threat not only to Israel but also to American forces and allies in the region. 

“The possession of missiles by a regime that openly declares its intent to destroy the State of Israel constitutes an existential threat,” the IDF said.

A group of men inspects the ruins of a police station struck Monday amid the U.S.–Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Vahid Salemi/AP Photo)

Casualties

Six U.S. service members have been killed, and several others injured, during Operation Epic Fury.

In Israel, 13 civilians had been killed as of Wednesday night and more than 1,000 injured in Iranian missile and drone attacks launched in response to the operation, according to Israeli emergency services. The United Arab Emirates has reported three deaths and 68 injuries since the war started

Precise casualty figures in Iran remain difficult to verify. Media reports say dozens of senior Iranian commanders were killed in the opening phase of the campaign, along with additional military personnel and civilians following strikes on military facilities and infrastructure.

A firefighter attempts to extinguish a burning car at the site of a direct hit from an Iranian missile strike in Tel Aviv, Israel, Feb. 28, 2026. (Tomer Neuberg/AP Photo)

Fighting on multiple fronts

As the conflict expands beyond Iran, Israeli forces have struck more than 160 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon in recent days. To sustain the multifront campaign, Israel has mobilized approximately 110,000 reservists.

“Wars are contests of will,” Spencer said. “Iran’s strategy is to break the will of the United States and Israel to continue the operation. The question is whether they can endure the pressure long enough to make that happen.”

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