An examination of the targets targeted by Iran in the new waves of attacks shows that a new military approach has been adopted. An approach that focuses more on command and threat centers than on equipment.
International Analysis Group: One of the most important questions after the recent missile and drone operations of the Islamic Republic of Iran is on what basis were the targets selected? A review of the data provided by official sources shows that the operations command has prioritized the “origin of the attack” and the nodes of command, guidance, and support, rather than focusing on the “instrument of attack,” an approach that is referred to in military literature as attacking operational centers of gravity. In modern warfare, destroying a drone or fighter jet has limited operational value, but disabling the base, command, control, or infrastructure that produces and directs the mission has a much broader operational impact. Therefore, targeting the bases of attack and command and support centers is more effective than engaging individual equipment. For example, in the attack on Bandar Abbas, intelligence assessments showed that the attacking unmanned vessel had entered the operation from the Bahrain axis. Therefore, the control, guidance, and support centers of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, which are responsible for managing part of the air and naval missions in the region, were considered as one of the main nodes of threat generation, and the damage caused to the command and control centers of this complex can also be analyzed within this framework. Another example is Kuwait, which in recent years has become one of the important centers for the deployment of MQ-9 Reaper drones; drones that, in addition to reconnaissance missions, also play a role in controlling and monitoring communication lines and the Strait of Hormuz. According to available information, after the recent ceasefire, about 20 of these drones were deployed in Kuwait, some of which were later hit and destroyed by Iran after being relocated by the US military. Such bases are not simply drone bases, but are also part of the regional intelligence, reconnaissance and command network. Jordan has become an important base for fighter jets and air missions. The country’s geographical location provides convenient access for air operations in the region, and for this reason, infrastructure related to air missions also has a special place in operational calculations. In addition to air bases, the radar and defense network are also top priorities. Any missile or drone operation must pass through the early warning network, detection and interception systems, defense command centers and interceptor systems to reach its target; Therefore, weakening this network increases the likelihood of success of subsequent operations. Defense systems are among the most valuable strategic assets of any armed force. Long-range radars, early warning systems, and layered interceptor systems, in addition to the high cost of procurement and deployment, have a much longer production, training, integration, and replacement cycle than many combat equipment. Therefore, damage to the radar or air defense network does not simply mean the loss of a few pieces of equipment, but can also reduce the ability to detect, intercept, and defend an area for a long time. For this reason, these systems are always included in the category of high-value targets.
In general, the targeting pattern of recent operations has focused on disabling the threat production chain, command, guidance, reconnaissance, and support, rather than on destroying enemy equipment. In other words, the logic governing these operations has been to destroy the “source of the threat”; An approach that is more effective in network-based wars than targeting individual equipment.
