An upgraded version of the AN/TPY-2 radar. (Photo credit: RTX)
Published by Palestine Chronicle, 11 March 2026
Iran says its strikes focus on radars, satellites, and interception systems that form the backbone of Israel’s defense network.
Since the beginning of the war, Iranian officials have repeatedly said their missile and drone campaign is designed to target what they present as the surveillance and interception backbone of Israeli and US defenses.
These targets include early-warning radars, satellite communications infrastructure, and command systems that help detect and intercept incoming missiles.
Rather than focusing solely on airfields or conventional military installations, Tehran says it is attempting to weaken the technological architecture that allows Israel and the United States to track Iranian launches and coordinate interception attempts.
That broad strategic logic is supported by outside reporting, even where Iranian damage claims remain much larger than what has been independently confirmed.
The Iranian strategy reflects a familiar principle of modern warfare: disabling the sensors and communications networks that allow advanced defense systems to function.
Recent satellite-image analysis reported by CNN found that a THAAD-linked radar site in Jordan was apparently destroyed, while similar radar-related facilities in the UAE were also hit, though the extent of equipment damage there remained unclear.
How Israel’s Defense Network Works
Israel’s missile-defense system is often described as a layered shield designed to intercept threats at different ranges and altitudes.
At the highest level, systems such as Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 are designed to intercept long-range ballistic missiles. These systems rely on powerful radar networks capable of detecting missiles shortly after launch.
A second layer includes David’s Sling, designed to intercept medium-range missiles and cruise missiles.
At shorter ranges, Iron Dome is used against rockets and artillery.
These systems are supported by American-built Patriot and THAAD missile-defense systems deployed in the region. Together, they create a network of sensors, interceptors, and command systems that share data across multiple theaters.
Without radar detection and tracking, these systems cannot function effectively.
The Radars Behind Missile Defense
Radar systems are central to this defensive architecture. Among the most important are large early-warning radars capable of detecting ballistic missile launches at long distances.
One key system frequently associated with regional missile defense is the AN/TPY-2 radar, which supports the THAAD missile-defense system. This radar can detect and track ballistic missiles over long ranges, providing early warning and trajectory calculations.
Israel also operates advanced radar systems, including Green Pine, which is linked to the Arrow missile-defense program. These radars track incoming missiles and relay targeting data to interceptor batteries.
Patriot missile-defense systems rely on their own radar units to detect incoming targets and guide interceptor missiles toward them.
If these radar systems are damaged, jammed, or destroyed, interception becomes significantly more difficult.
The Regional Network Supporting Israel
Israel’s air-defense posture does not operate in complete isolation. It is supported by a wider network of American and allied military facilities across the Middle East.
US military bases in the Gulf host radar systems, missile-defense batteries, intelligence assets, and communications infrastructure that contribute to regional surveillance and early warning.
Reuters has reported that the United States had reinforced and repositioned assets across regional bases before and during the war, while subsequent satellite imagery documented damage at several facilities across the Gulf after Iranian retaliation widened.
Among the facilities often mentioned in connection with this network are Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, and Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.
The US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and other naval installations also contribute to regional surveillance and coordination.
From Iran’s perspective, these installations form part of the same military architecture that supports Israel and US operations in the region.
Why Targeting Radars Matters
Modern missile defense depends heavily on detection and tracking systems.
Long-range radars detect launches and calculate the trajectory of incoming missiles. Early-warning networks then relay that information to interceptor batteries, which must respond within seconds or minutes.
Command systems coordinate the entire process, determining which interception assets should engage a target.
If radar coverage is degraded, warning times can shrink dramatically. Interceptor missiles may have less time to launch, and defensive systems may struggle to track multiple incoming threats.
Even partial disruption of radar coverage can therefore reduce interception effectiveness.
For this reason, targeting radar installations can have a broader strategic impact than striking individual missile batteries.
Why Iran’s Missile Numbers Have Stabilized
Another notable feature of the war has been the apparent stabilization in the number of Iranian missiles launched during recent attacks.
Iranian officials argue that the reduction reflects a shift toward more selective targeting rather than large-volume bombardment. According to this narrative, early strikes were designed to weaken radar and interception systems, allowing smaller salvos to face less effective defenses.
That interpretation remains plausible. Western media outlets, like Reuters and AP, however, have also claimed that sustained US and Israeli strikes have reduced parts of Iran’s missile-launch activity and damaged weapons-related sites.
The most defensible conclusion is that Iran appears to be combining strategic target selection with wartime pacing under mounting military pressure.
A War of Sensors and Systems
The war between Iran, Israel, and their allies is not only a battle of missiles and aircraft. It is also a contest over sensors, networks, and the ability to see the battlefield.
Radars, satellite communications links, and communications systems determine how quickly a missile launch can be detected and how effectively it can be intercepted.
By focusing its strikes on these systems, Iran appears to be attempting to weaken the defensive architecture that allows Israel and its allies to maintain air superiority and interception capacity.
Whether the campaign has achieved the scale of disruption Tehran claims remains uncertain.
What is clear, however, is that modern warfare increasingly revolves around the infrastructure that connects sensors, weapons, and command systems across entire regions.
See: Original Article
