Defense Priorities Defense Priorities
  • Policy Topics
    • Israel-Iran
    • Ukraine-Russia
    • NATO
    • China
    • Syria
  • Research
    • Briefs
    • Explainers
    • Reports
  • Programs
    • Grand Strategy Program
    • Military Analysis Program
    • Asia Program
    • Middle East Program
  • Experts
  • Events
  • Media
  • About
    • Mission & Vision
    • People
    • Jobs
    • Contact
  • Donate
Select Page
Home / Iran / Air Force Leaders Are Right to Rethink NGAD
Iran, Israel, Israel‑Hamas, Middle East

November 5, 2024

Air Force Leaders Are Right to Rethink NGAD

By Daniel DePetris

Late last month, Israel executed a three-round airstrike campaign on Iranian military targets in retaliation for Tehran’s ballistic missile attack some three weeks earlier. Approximately 20 Iranian military sites were hit, and the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu boasted about its success after the operation concluded. According to Israeli officials, Tehran’s missile production capability was severely damaged to the point in which it may take a year before Iran can rebuild it. (Iran still has hundreds of ballistic missiles.)

The Iranian government largely played down the attack. Iranian military officials insisted the Israeli strikes caused only limited damage. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivered a speech in which he said the Israeli attack shouldn’t be “exaggerated or downplayed,” deliberately vague phrasing that was likely meant as a placeholder as his government debated what to do next.

The rhetoric from Iran, however, has gotten noticeably more violent in the days since Khamenei gave that speech. On Thursday, Gen. Ali Fadavi, the second in command of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, told Iranian media that there would be a definite Iranian response. An official in the supreme leader’s office offered more fire-breathing invective. Khamenei, who a few days prior was telling people not to overreact, apparently had a change of heart over the weekend, vowing a “crushing response” against either Israel or the United States.

Read at The Chicago Tribune

Author

Photo of Daniel DePetris

Daniel
DePetris

Fellow

Defense Priorities

More on Middle East

op-edIsrael‑Iran, Iran, Israel, Middle East

It’s time to get out for good

By Jennifer Kavanagh

June 23, 2025

op-edIsrael‑Iran, Iran, Israel, Middle East

How the war could spin out of control

By Dan Caldwell

June 23, 2025

op-edIsrael‑Iran, Iran, Israel, Middle East

LTE: Bombing Iran won’t solve these five problems. But it might fix this one.

By Daniel DePetris

June 22, 2025

op-edIran, Israel, Israel‑Iran, Middle East

Prepare for Iran to retaliate

By Daniel DePetris

June 22, 2025

Press ReleaseIsrael‑Iran, Middle East

U.S. strikes on Iran should stop, not creep to regime change

By Rosemary Kelanic and Jennifer Kavanagh

June 21, 2025

In the mediaIsrael‑Iran, Iran, Israel, Middle East

Trump claims success after bombing key Iran nuclear sites

Featuring Rosemary Kelanic

June 21, 2025

Events on Iran

See All Events
virtualMiddle East, Basing and force posture, Diplomacy, Houthis, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Israel‑Hamas, Military analysis, Syria

Past Virtual Event: Trump in the Middle East: Impacts, implications, and alternatives

May 16, 2025
virtualHouthis, Iran, Israel‑Hamas, Middle East, Yemen

Past Virtual Event: Houthi conundrum: defend, degrade, or defer

March 28, 2024
virtualMiddle East, Iran, Israel‑Hamas, Israel‑Iran, Syria, Yemen

Past Virtual Event: Keeping the U.S. out of war in the Middle East

January 16, 2024

Receive expert foreign policy analysis

Join the hub of realism and restraint

Expert updates and analysis to enhance your understanding of vital U.S. national security issues

Defense Priority Mono Logo

Our mission is to inform citizens, thought leaders, and policymakers of the importance of a strong, dynamic military—used more judiciously to protect America’s narrowly defined national interests—and promote a realistic grand strategy prioritizing restraint, diplomacy, and free trade to ensure U.S. security.

  • About
  • For Media
  • Jobs
  • Donate
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact
© 2025 Defense Priorities All Right Reserved