Tel Aviv / Eastern Mediterranean – In a devastating blow to Israel’s air defense network, Iran has reportedly destroyed or severely damaged key segments of the Jewish state’s advanced long-range radar systems worth $2.7 billion, temporarily blinding Israel’s early warning capabilities amid the escalating war.
According to defense sources, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a concentrated barrage of advanced ballistic missiles and hypersonic weapons targeting Israel’s strategic radar installations, including elements of the EL/M-2080 Green Pine and other high-value systems critical for detecting incoming threats from Iran, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.
The precision strikes have created significant gaps in Israel’s aerial surveillance umbrella, forcing Israeli commanders into emergency mode. In direct response, the United States has scrambled multiple Cold War-era E-3 Sentry AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft from bases in Europe and the Gulf to provide critical airborne radar coverage and support Israeli operations.
These aging but highly capable AWACS platforms are now flying extended missions over the eastern Mediterranean, acting as a temporary “eye in the sky” to compensate for Israel’s compromised ground-based radar network. U.S. officials describe the move as a “critical stopgap measure” while Israel works to restore its systems.
The loss of nearly $2.7 billion in advanced radar infrastructure represents one of the most serious tactical setbacks for Israel since the conflict began. Without full radar coverage, Israel’s ability to detect and intercept incoming missile salvos has been significantly degraded, increasing pressure on its Iron Dome and Arrow systems.
This development comes as Iran continues its desperate but increasingly sophisticated counterattacks. Tehran is celebrating the strikes as a major strategic achievement, claiming it has “blinded the Zionist enтιтy” and shifted the balance of the war.
The rapid deployment of American AWACS aircraft demonstrates the deepening U.S. commitment to Israel’s defense. However, it also highlights the growing strain on American military resources as the conflict expands across multiple fronts.
As fires continue at damaged radar sites and AWACS aircraft circle overhead, the message is clear: Iran is determined to strike at the very eyes and ears of Israeli defense. Israel and the United States will now respond with overwhelming force to restore deterrence and punish this aggression.
