TEHRAN: A senior military advisor to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says that over 16 Israeli pilots were killed during the 12-day war imposed on Iran by the Zionist regime.
Major General Yahya Rahim-Safavi said in a special interview that while weaknesses were revealed in air-defence and intelligence during the early days of the 12-day war, they are now under repair and reconstruction.
He explained that in the first two or three days of the war, Iran showed some shortcomings, but from the fourth day onward, the balance of power shifted and Iran established full superiority by the final stage. According to foreign assessments, he said, about 60 percent confirmed Iran as the winner of the battle. “In the first two to three days, we had weaknesses, but from day four the balance shifted and by the final days, dominance was ours,” he said.
He stressed that Israel failed to achieve its declared objectives — destabilizing Iran internally or degrading critical infrastructure and military and nuclear capabilities — while Iran met its intended goals.
He noted that enemy command-and-control centres, power plants, and terminals were hit, which forced the other side into submission. He further claimed that “more than 16 Israeli pilots” were killed during operations.
The senior adviser further announced that more than 16 Israeli pilots were killed in operations. He added that the enemy consumed over 600–640 of its air-defence missiles, leaving its missile stockpiles severely depleted.
Safavi further said Iran is currently rebuilding aerospace equipment and strengthening its power. Parts of air-defence, radar systems, missile weapons, and some air force units were damaged, but with new commanders appointed and reconstruction underway, capabilities are being rapidly restored.
He declared that Iran will not only restore but also increase its offensive power across all fronts — in air, space, and other domains — warning that if hostile acts are repeated, Tehran will respond with far greater strength than before.
On June 13, Israel launched a blatant and unprovoked aggression against Iran, triggering a 12-day war that killed at least 1,064 people in the country, including military commanders, nuclear scientists, and ordinary civilians.
The United States also entered the war by bombing three Iranian nuclear sites in a grave violation of international law.
In response, the Iranian Armed Forces targeted strategic sites across the occupied territories as well as the Al-Udeid air base in Qatar, the largest American military base in West Asia.
On June 24, Iran, through its successful retaliatory operations against both the Israeli regime and the US, managed to impose a halt to the aggression.
