As the armed conflict between Israel and Iran escalates into aerial confrontations, Israel's military power, which has accurately targeted Iran's nuclear facilities and other key plants, is drawing attention. Evaluations suggest that Israel's ability to strike Iran's major facilities stems from a combination of the intelligence-gathering capabilities of Mossad, regarded as one of the world's top intelligence agencies, and decades of accumulated defense technology.
Israel is exchanging blows with Iran, targeting Iran's heavy water nuclear facility while Iran strikes a hospital located in southern Israel. During the clashes, Iran's military command structure was largely decimated, and its nuclear capabilities were damaged, resulting in hundreds of deaths. Israel also faced urban attacks, and reports indicate that dozens were killed.
Israel utilized the intelligence agency Mossad to simultaneously strike major military commanders and nuclear scientists, including Major General Mohammad Bagheri of the Iranian Army. Subsequently, it bombarded missile production facilities, underground storage sites, and launch pads, and is now aiming at nuclear facilities. A military expert, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that "the intelligence capabilities to pinpoint the locations of drones, guided weapons, missile storage, and leaders, which infiltrated several months ago, made these attacks possible," adding that "without the precise calculations of the intelligence organization, it would have been impossible."
Israel's defense technology also played a crucial role in enabling precision strikes. As a prominent defense-oriented nation, Israel excels in various electronic systems (electronic warfare equipment) installed in aircraft, such as advanced radar and satellite communication systems. Following the Fourth Middle East War in the 1970s, Israel's defense technology evolved around radar and reconnaissance missiles capable of anticipating and responding to enemy attacks. It is known that many Israeli products are also installed on the fighter jets, ships, and helicopters operated by the Korean military.
After giving up on developing its own fighter jets, Israel operates the U.S. F-15 fighter, reportedly enhancing its air force military capabilities by equipping the F-15 platform with Israeli electronic warfare systems and missiles. It also possesses the latest fighter, the F-35. A defense industry official said, "Israel can detect a wider range and strike from further away, making it advantageous for precision airstrikes."
Israel has targeted Iranian military leaders with drones, which are also evaluated as being at a world-class level. The operational radius of drones under development for a combined system of manned and unmanned platforms domestically is around 500 km, while Israel is reported to have secured an operational radius of up to 1,000 km. This is due to the high level of technology that enhances drone detection distances via satellite communication. An industry official said, "The core technology is having drones precisely interconnected for accurate control, and Israel has secured this technology."
There are evaluations in the industry that the success of defense systems like Iron Dome and the latest drones is based on the domestic development of defense technology that has continued from the past. After prohibiting the import of weapons in the late 1960s, Israel has independently developed defense technology in line with the goal of self-defense. As a result, it was the first globally to introduce effective air defense systems such as Iron Dome and drones, proving their effectiveness in actual combat. A military official stated, "This is why we must continuously domesticize defense technology."