00:00Could Iran's air defenses really stop a full-scale US strike?
00:30With tensions skyrocketing in early 2026, this question is no longer hypothetical.
00:41The USS Abraham Lincoln is in the region.
00:46Trump has hinted at possible military action, and Tehran warns of severe retaliation.
00:53The stakes could not be higher.
00:57It all traces back to the 12-day war in June 2025.
01:02Israel, backed by the US, launched preemptive strikes that devastated Iran's nuclear facilities,
01:08air defenses and missile launchers.
01:10Over 40 Iranian air defense systems were destroyed in the first 24 hours alone, exposing glaring
01:17vulnerabilities in Tehran's protective shield.
01:21Even Iran's most advanced systems, like the Russian-supplied S-300 PMU-2, the homegrown
01:32Bavar 373, and the Kordad 15 struggled against stealth aircraft and drone swarms.
01:45Former President Hassan Rouhani even admitted in December 2025, the skies over Iran have become
01:51completely safe for the enemy.
01:58S-300 PMU-2, long-range Russian system, partially rebuilt but still vulnerable to electronic warfare.
02:12Bavar 373, indigenous system with stealth detection, upgraded radars, deployed around key sites.
02:20HQ-9B, Chinese long-range SAMs, recently integrated for layered defense.
02:26Potential S-400s, rumored acquisitions could expand coverage up to 400 kilometers.
02:33Kordad 15 and Syed 4B, medium-range systems aimed at drones and cruise missiles.
02:40Arman, Azharakhsh, Majid, and Dezful, short-range systems for low-altitude threats.
02:48Iran has also built new Ghadir phased array radars for early warning, and production of
02:53ballistic missiles continues at a rate of 300 per month.
02:59But despite upgrades, analysts warn these defenses are far from foolproof.
03:05Integration remains patchy, Soviet-era systems, homegrown tech, and Chinese imports don't
03:11always communicate seamlessly.
03:13That makes them vulnerable to decoys, swarms, and sophisticated U.S. electronic warfare.
03:21The U.S. could employ stealth bombers like the B-2, cruise missiles including Tomahawk and
03:27Jossam, and coordinated airstrikes to saturate Iran's defenses.
03:34Meanwhile, Iran has embedded some assets in civilian areas, complicating targeting but
03:39not guaranteeing safety.
03:46The stakes are even higher with protests raging in Iran and the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln
03:51in position.
03:57Iranian officials warn of retaliation via missiles and proxy groups in Iraq and Yemen, raising
04:02the specter of a wider conflict.
04:05Analysts say the real question isn't just military hardware, it's whether political calculations
04:10will prevent a strike before defenses are fully tested.
04:14So, can Iran's air defenses stop a U.S. strike?
04:20The short answer, maybe, but likely not completely.
04:24Even with new systems and upgrades, gaps remain, and one miscalculation could trigger rapid escalation.
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