Israel says it destroyed 16 IRGC aircraft at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport during massive airstrikes. Over 80 Israeli fighter jets also targeted Iranian military sites.
Israel intensified its military campaign against Iran with a large-scale overnight air operation targeting key military infrastructure in Tehran. The Israeli military announced that its air force carried out a series of coordinated strikes that destroyed multiple aircraft belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) at Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport.
The strikes formed part of a broader wave of attacks aimed at weakening Iran’s ability to supply weapons and support to its regional allies. According to Israeli officials, the operation focused on military assets that could pose a direct threat to Israeli forces operating in the region.
"Overnight, the Israeli Air Force... completed a broad wave of strikes across Tehran and on military infrastructure located at the 'Merabad Airport' in Tehran", it said in a statement.
Israeli authorities said the airstrikes destroyed 16 aircraft linked to the IRGC’s Quds Force, a unit responsible for Iran’s overseas military operations. The aircraft were reportedly stationed at Mehrabad Airport, which Israeli intelligence claims plays a critical role in transporting weapons and financial support to Iranian-backed groups across the Middle East.
"16 aircraft of the 'Quds Force' unit of the IRGC were precisely dismantled", it said, referring to the branch of Iran's Revolutionary Guards that oversees its foreign operations.
The Israeli military also alleged that the airport has been used to transfer weapons and funding to regional militias, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah. Officials believe these aircraft frequently transported supplies and military equipment to Iranian proxy groups operating across the Middle East.
During the operation, Israeli forces also targeted several Iranian fighter jets positioned at the airport. According to the Israeli military, these aircraft posed a potential threat to Israeli planes conducting operations inside Iranian airspace.
"Also targeted were several Iranian fighter jets that posed a threat to Israeli Air Force aircraft operating in Iranian airspace", the statement added.
Israeli officials said the strikes aimed to reduce Iran’s military capabilities and prevent further attacks against Israel. Precision-guided weapons and extensive intelligence support reportedly helped Israeli pilots carry out the operation.
Earlier the same day, Israel announced another large wave of airstrikes across Iran involving more than 80 fighter jets. The military said the aircraft targeted several Iranian military installations, missile launch sites and command centres in Tehran and central Iran.
"Over 80 Israeli Air Force fighter jets... completed an additional wave of strikes targeting infrastructure belonging to the Iranian terror regime," the military said in a statement.
Officials described the operation as one of the largest Israeli attacks since the regional conflict began on February 28.
Israeli officials said the strikes also hit several strategic facilities belonging to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. One of the targets was a military academy linked to the IRGC that Israeli authorities claim had been converted into an emergency operations centre.
"In one of the biggest raids announced by Israel since the regional war began on February 28, the statement said that jets hit a military academy belonging to the Revolutionary Guards, which 'was being used as an emergency asset'."
The military added that the facility had been actively used for operational planning and military coordination, making it a legitimate target under its war strategy.
Israeli aircraft also struck an underground command centre, missile storage locations and launch platforms believed to support attacks against Israel. The Israeli military said these strikes aimed to weaken Iran’s ability to launch missiles or drones toward Israeli territory.
"Other targets included an underground command centre and missile storage facility as well as launch sites, 'to reduce the scope of fire directed at the territory of the State of Israel', the statement said."
The strikes marked another significant escalation in the ongoing Israel–Iran conflict, which has seen repeated missile and drone attacks from both sides in recent weeks.
When Israel first joined the United States in a coordinated wave of attacks on Iran earlier in the conflict, the Israeli military said around 200 fighter jets participated in the operation. Officials described that mission as the largest air campaign in the history of the Israeli Air Force.
The latest strikes indicate that Israel continues to expand its operations against Iranian military infrastructure as tensions in the region remain high. Analysts say the situation could further escalate as both sides continue to exchange attacks.
