Analyzing the Iran-Israel War through a Chinese Lens
According to the Iran Gate News Agency, the twelve-day war between Iran and Israel unveiled a new pattern of confrontation and military tension in the volatile Middle East. Now, after the war’s end and the ceasefire, many reputable institutions and think tanks have analyzed this significant event.
Iran Gate has exclusively accessed the analysis from the Chinese Light Weapons Institute affiliated with the Communist Party, which it shares with its audience. This analysis is published in two parts, and the first part is now presented to our esteemed audience: Strategic Analysis of the Iran-Israel War and the New Paradigm of Technological Wars – Part One.
Published by the Chinese Light Weapons Institute 轻兵器, written by Zhang Qinlin, Zhang Xiaoyang, Yang Yong, and He Jie. Republished and analyzed by Yuwuz Selim Shen on December 11, 2025.
The first part of this report examines the operational course of the Iran-Israel war and the strategic and tactical characteristics of both sides, including the full display of long-range attack capabilities, the decisive role of information and espionage warfare, and the simultaneous use of precision strikes and saturation attacks.
Beginning of the War and Operational Course
June 13, 2025 – Operation Lion’s Power
On the morning of June 13, 2025, the Israeli Air Force launched a series of extensive attacks on targets related to Iran’s nuclear program and other sensitive military centers under the name Lion’s Power. This unprecedented operation resulted in the deaths of over 610 people, including more than 20 senior military officials and several Iranian scientists. Iran’s critical military infrastructure was also targeted with multiple attacks.
That same night, Iran responded with Operation Promised Truth 3, which included the launch of numerous ballistic and hypersonic missiles that accurately targeted over 10 military centers within Israeli territory, including airbases and intelligence command centers. Sources like the Daily Telegraph reported Israel’s casualties to be over 1,200, a figure far exceeding Israel’s official count of 30.
Simultaneously, the US and Israel jointly deployed seven stealth B2 bombers and used super-precise bunker-buster bombs and Tomahawk missiles to target Iran’s underground nuclear facilities in Natanz, Arak, and Fordow.
Sequence of Military Actions
June 13
In Operation Lion’s Power, Iran’s nuclear facilities and military bases in Natanz and Fordow suffered significant damage. A group of Iran’s top military commanders, including the Chief of the General Staff and the Commander of the Revolutionary Guards, were killed in these attacks. That same night, Iran initiated Operation Promised Truth 3, launching missiles and drones against Israeli military targets.
June 14 to 24
In the following days, both sides expanded their reciprocal attacks. The most significant events included Israel targeting Iran’s oil fields and refineries, Iran claiming to have hit about 150 targets within Israeli territory, targeting Iran’s Ministry of Defense, missile launch centers, and energy infrastructure, Iran’s repeated attacks on Israel’s vital centers including the Haifa refinery, defense batteries, fuel facilities, and command centers, the killing of senior intelligence commanders of the Revolutionary Guards in Tehran, increased political pressure and direct threats from the US government demanding Iran’s unconditional surrender, Israel targeting Iran’s nuclear centers, and the joint US-Israel operation named Midnight Hammer targeting three of Iran’s nuclear centers in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Iran used multi-warhead bunker-buster missiles to target Ben Gurion Airport and conducted a retaliatory attack on the American Al-Udeid base in Qatar.
June 24 – Complete Ceasefire
At the end of June 24, Iran and Israel signed a complete and phased ceasefire agreement. According to the agreement, Iran initiated the ceasefire, and Israel stopped 12 hours later. After 24 hours, the twelve-day war ended. Both sides declared victory after the ceasefire and maintained an aggressive tone in media positions.
Strategic and Tactical Characteristics of Both Sides
1. Full Display of Long-Range Attack Capabilities
In this war, the Israeli Air Force fully demonstrated its deep penetration and long-range operational capabilities. Over 1,200 sorties, more than 600 aerial refuelings, and the presence of over 200 fighter jets in Iranian airspace on the first day alone indicate the complex organization and command of this operation. Israel conducted attacks with a range of 2,300 kilometers, disabling Iran’s defense systems in multiple locations without operational losses.
Iran also showed significant capability in long-range attacks, using long-range drones and inexpensive Fateh missiles to deplete Israel’s defensive reserves and then executing precise strikes with heavy and hypersonic missiles, significantly increasing Israel’s defense costs to the extent that its defense systems were forced to use multi-million-dollar missiles to counter Iran’s hundreds-of-thousands-of-dollars missiles.
2. Escalation of Information and Espionage Warfare
Before the war began, Mossad had activated a network of over 1,300 people for intelligence gathering, target guidance, and logistical support. This network simultaneously supported precise short-range operations, drone guidance, and the destruction of Iran’s defense systems on the day of the attack.
Israel also designed a deception operation that lured several senior Iranian commanders to a fake meeting with fabricated messages and targeted them simultaneously.
On the other hand, Iran also achieved significant intelligence successes before and during the war, gaining access to confidential information related to Israel’s nuclear activities, hacking the computer of a scientist at the Sorek nuclear center, significantly increasing Iran’s intelligence activities within Israeli territory, and using a network of local individuals in Israel to photograph sensitive military targets.
3. Mastery of Combined Precision and Saturation Attacks
Israel
Israel, through precise and well-planned attacks, managed to destroy about 80 of Iran’s air defense systems, around 65 missile launch bases, nearly 250 launchers, and over 1,000 missiles, as well as an important part of Iran’s weapon production facilities.
It also inflicted heavy damage on Iran’s energy infrastructure, refineries, and oil export ports.
Iran
Iran employed a combination of saturation attacks and final precision strikes.
Depleting Israel’s defense reserves
Launching 500 old missiles and drones to saturate defenses
Executing main strikes with Khorramshahr-4 missiles with a range of about 2,000 kilometers, 15-ton warheads, and Fateh-2 hypersonic missiles with a speed of Mach 15
These attacks affected Israel’s critical infrastructure, including military bases, intelligence centers, cyber systems, and defense industries. The extensive damage to the Hadera power plant and Haifa oil depots also disrupted public life and transportation.