On 26 October, Israel launched a large‑scale air operation that struck more than a hundred targets across a 2,000‑kilometre stretch of hostile airspace. The campaign, dubbed “Days of Repentance,” involved a fleet of F‑35 Lightning II stealth fighters that entered Iranian airspace without being detected, a development that alters strategic calculations for regional militaries. Iranian air‑defence batteries fell silent as the Israeli aircraft passed, and a UAV production plant was forced to halt output.
Missile‑manufacturing facilities also suffered direct hits. The attacks focused on sites in western and southwestern Tehran, as reported by an IRGC‑linked news outlet, and extended to the provinces of Ilam and Khuzestan—areas well within Iran’s interior rather than peripheral border outposts.
Israel warned Tehran a few hours before the raid, naming the intended targets and explicitly instructing the Iranian military not to respond. The message left Tehran with a stark choice: absorb the limited‑scope damage or risk a broader escalation by retaliating. All Israeli aircraft returned to base unharmed, indicating that the operation faced no effective aerial opposition. Prior to the strike on Iran, Israeli forces had hit Syrian radar installations, clearing a corridor that facilitated the deep‑penetration route.
The coordination between the Syrian and Iranian phases suggests weeks, possibly months, of planning. The Israeli defence ministry framed the raid as a response to Iranian attacks earlier in the month, positioning it within an ongoing chain of retaliation.
Tehran now must decide whether a direct military response—potentially inviting further Israeli strikes on higher‑value targets—or a covert campaign through proxies in Lebanon, Syria or Yemen is the more prudent path. The logistical feat demonstrated by the F‑35s—long‑range refuelling, navigation and multi‑squadron coordination over 2,000 km—marks a capability Israel has not publicly displayed before. The operation underscores that Tehran lies within reach of Israeli air power, a fact that challenges the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ long‑standing narrative of invulnerability.
Beyond the physical damage, the breach of Iranian airspace carries symbolic weight. The IRGC’s reputation for robust air defence has been dented, and the regime’s projection of strength faces new scrutiny at a time when domestic unrest, economic sanctions and protests already strain public confidence.
For Israel, the raid’s scale and the overt use of stealth aircraft provide Iran with clearer insight into Israeli tactics and capabilities, likely prompting adjustments to future Iranian air‑defence postures. The operation also involved airspace over Iraq and Syria, obliging those governments to manage the diplomatic fallout of their territories being used in an attack on Iran. Regional alliances, already under pressure, now confront fresh challenges as Tehran may seek diplomatic or military avenues to respond.
The specific warning issued by Israel leaves the next steps open: a restrained reaction could keep the episode isolated, while a larger retaliation might expand the conflict into a broader regional confrontation.
