From the Liveblog of
Monday, June 16, 2025
Israel has full control of Tehran’s airspace, over 100 missile launchers destroyed, IDF says
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The Israeli Air Force has established “full aerial superiority” over Iranian capital Tehran, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin says in a press conference.
He adds that the IAF has destroyed a third of Iran’s ballistic missile launchers and is managing to disrupt “extensive parts” of its attacks on Israel.
According to Defrin, 65 ballistic missiles and dozens of drones were launched at Israel in two barrages Sunday night and Monday morning, most of which were intercepted, though three impacts killed eight people.
However, Iran wanted to launch at least twice as many missiles at Israel overnight, he says.
Overnight, 20 ballistic missiles were simultaneously targeted by the Israeli Air Force in Iran before they could be launched, he says.
The IDF says that some 50 fighter jets and drones also identified and struck missile storage sites, and command centers where Iranian soldiers were gathered to launch the missiles.
Iranian ballistic missile launchers are targeted in Israeli airstrikes, in a video released by the IDF on June 16, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
Since the start of the conflict, the IDF says, it has destroyed over 120 Iranian ballistic missile launchers, which it says is a third of what Iran had.
Additionally, the military says the IAF conducted waves of strikes in Isfahan overnight, hitting over 100 military targets.
The Times of Israel Community.