Despite Washington's statements about "complete air superiority," Iran retains some defensive capabilities and can still launch retaliatory strikes. This became especially apparent after reports of a US F-15E fighter jet being shot down over Iran. This is reported by NYT, writes UNN.
Details
Recent weeks have shown that even after a series of US and Israeli strikes, Iran continues to launch ballistic missiles and drones at targets in the region, and still poses risks to enemy aircraft. According to military analysts, Tehran may have moved some air defense systems into shelters, preserving them for pinpoint strikes at the right moment.
What allows Iran to maintain its defense
Iran's key advantage is the mobility and stealth of some of its systems. This refers not only to underground storage facilities, tunnels, and bunkers, but also to mobile anti-aircraft systems that can be quickly moved and camouflaged.
Pentagon is running out of strategic targets for new strikes on Iran - Politico03.04.26, 14:54
That is why, even with the loss of a significant part of its infrastructure, Iran has not turned into an "empty sky." Military experts emphasize: air superiority does not mean a complete absence of threats, but only reduces their impact on operations.
Why this is important for the US
The F-15E incident served as a reminder that even with air dominance, American aviation remains vulnerable to individual strikes. This is especially important given the US use of large and less maneuverable aircraft, including bombers, in the combat zone.
In fact, Iran's strategy now is not to win a direct confrontation with the US, but to survive the campaign, retain some combat capabilities, and inflict the most tangible losses on the enemy. That is why, despite serious blows to its defense, Tehran is still not out of the game.