Israel sees increasing success against Iranian drones, drone and missile attacks continue

On June 23, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that its Spectrum Warfare 5114th Battalion had played a “significant” role in confronting the Iranian drone threat. “In recent days, the soldiers thwarted dozens of attempted infiltrations by hostile aircraft using electronic warfare. This activity constitutes an additional layer of defense leveraging advanced technological means to detect and neutralize aerial threats in real time,” the IDF said. It is one of many methods the Israeli military has employed, including manned aircraft and various types of interceptors, to stop hundreds of Iranian drones from striking Israel.

According to various reports, by June 23, more than 1,000 Iranian drones had been launched at Israel since Israeli strikes on Iran began on June 12. Iran has also launched hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel. Iran’s initial attacks were deadly, with 24 Israelis killed and dozens injured by June 16. However, Israel has intercepted around 90 percent of the missile threats and almost all the drones from Iran. One drone, reportedly a Shahed 136, impacted Beit Shean on June 21.

The number of missiles Iran has fired per day has lessened since the first 72 hours of the conflict. By June 21, a total of 450 missiles had been launched, and there were more than 50 impact sites in Israel. A total of 2,835 people had been injured, the Israeli Ministry of Health said on the morning of June 23. The number of people displaced by the war due to missile impacts rose to more than 8,000.

Israel’s air defenses have received widespread praise from officials. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Air Force Commander Major General Tomer Bar visited an Arrow air defense system unit on June 23. “Prime Minister Netanyahu commended the array’s soldiers and officers and expressed his appreciation for their contribution in defending the skies over Israel,” the Prime Minister’s Office said. Netanyahu also received an operational briefing about the Arrow array and the “operational challenges it faces.”

On June 21, Israeli Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir visited the 136^th Battalion of Israel’s air defense array. “We are hunting their launchers. Yesterday, we intercepted three of four launchers just minutes before launch and neutralized them using our systems directly over their heads. What you are doing here is remarkable. Without your work, the damage to Israel’s home front and our infrastructure would have been catastrophic,” Zamir said.

Major General Bar visited Israel’s Hatzerim and Palmachim airbases that same day and spoke about Israel’s efforts to strike Iran’s ballistic missiles and reduce the number of launches. “We are deeply engaged in suppressing the surface-to-surface missile fire being directed at us. We’re not at zero—but our efforts are stopping a great deal and surprised the Iranians,” Bar said. Palmachim is one of the bases Israel uses for its long-range drones, which Bar indicated are flying over Iran as part of the effort to suppress missile fire.

The IDF has revealed the use of several new defense systems in the war. In addition to deploying an electromagnetic system to stop drone threats, Israel has also employed the Israeli Navy’s Barak “Magen” system to down UAVs. The IDF calls it a “long-range air defense system” (LRAD) and states that the navy’s new Sa’ar 6 corvettes carry the interceptors. Israeli ships have intercepted more than 500 drones since the conflict began.

Israel has a multi-layered air defense array that also consists of the David’s Sling and Iron Dome systems. It appears both have also been used to confront Iranian missile and drone threats, though the IDF has not released details on their recent employment.

While there were fewer Iranian missile attacks on June 22, Iran launched several rounds of missiles on June 23. Sirens sounded in Israel due to missiles at around three in the morning, while drone sirens sounded around five in the morning. In addition, sirens went off in numerous areas of Israel at around 10 am for about 40 minutes straight. Even though Israel’s Home Front Command said Israelis could leave their shelters, more sirens sounded at 11:35 am. Overall, Home Front Command continued restrictions on activity in the wake of the US strikes on Iran on June 22 in the expectation of increased Iranian threats.

As the war with Iran continues, Israelis abroad have been trying to return to the country on emergency flights. Some have also returned by sea. In some cases, this route has involved private arrangements, with people paying skippers of sailboats and yachts to take passengers from Cyprus. The Israeli Navy and Ministry of Transportation also arranged for the entry of a passenger ship carrying 1,500 people on June 20.

Overall, around 70,000 Israelis have returned during the war, some by land borders and 25,000 via “rescue” flights operated by Israeli airlines. Israel’s airspace was largely closed during the first week of the operation against Iran. Israel is restricting the number of individuals allowed on each flight going in and out. It is unclear how many people have left Israel since the conflict began.

Reporting from Israel, Seth J. Frantzman is an adjunct fellow at FDD and a contributor to FDD’s Long War Journal. He is the senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post, and author of The October 7 War: Israel’s Battle for Security in Gaza (2024).