The Israeli military said Monday that it can now fly over the country's capital, Tehran, without facing major resistance after crippling Iran’s air defenses in recent strikes, enabling Israel to hit an expanding range of targets with relative ease.

The Israeli military spoke of air superiority, but warned against underestimating the enemy.

JERUSALEM, Israel (TNND) — The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) on Tuesday announced it had killed a top Iranian war leader. The IDF wrote via X it killed Chief of Staff Ali Shadmani, whom it claimed worked as “Khamenei’s closest military advisor.” Shadmani died in an Israeli Air Force strike in Theran, the military group wrote.

A senior Western defence source said Israeli warplanes have been refuelling over Syria - a bastion of Iranian influence until Bashar al-Assad was toppled in December. Israel is now operating over Syria with "near-total freedom", the source said.

Air Force Commander, Major General Tomer Bar, discloses that the Air Force has destroyed more than 70 Iranian air defense missile batteries.

The successful hit reportedly hobbled Iran’s ability to respond to the first wave of Israeli Air Force strikes across the country

Combat missions against Iran are the most challenging that an F-35 has flown, showcasing the jet's capabilities, an airpower expert said.

The Air Force attacked several surface-to-air missile launch sites and radars located in western Iran this morning.