Israel Destroys All Ghadir Radars in Western Iran During 12-Day War

Between 12-19 July, 2025, at the outset of its offensive, Israel directed its initial operations against Iran’s radar and air defense infrastructure, in parallel with targeted assassinations. The objective was to degrade Tehran’s early detection capacity and secure freedom of maneuver within Iranian airspace.

At the core of Iran’s defensive network was the Ghadir radar system, which the state had prioritized in recent years, accelerating its nationwide deployment to counter potential Israeli air operations. According to intelligence sources, Iran had 12-15 Ghadir radars before the 12 Day War with Israel, at least half of them in western Iran.

Extent of Losses

Satellite imagery analysis indicates that of the 12 Ghadir radar sites identified across Iran, six systems were destroyed during the conflict, with one additionally eliminated in October 2024.

Notably, all of these were located in western Iran—the sector responsible for monitoring Israeli threats.

Satellite imagery also indicates that repair work on the damaged systems has been progressing very slowly.

The Ghadir Early Warning Radar

The Ghadir radar, developed indigenously by Iran, is a fixed, phased-array early warning system with 360-degree coverage, specifically designed for long-range detection and air defense integration. It is capable of identifying a wide spectrum of aerial threats, including ballistic and cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), fighter aircraft, and low radar cross-section targets such as stealth platforms.

Technical specifications

Operating in the VHF frequency band, the Ghadir radar is considered relatively more effective in detecting stealth aircraft than higher frequency systems. This has made it the centrepiece of Iran’s layered defence architecture. However, while VHF radars can detect stealth aircraft, they are poor at determining the precise location of the target.

The confirmed destruction of Iran’s western Ghadir radar assets within less than two weeks represents a significant degradation of the country’s air defense network. By neutralizing these systems, Israel effectively undermined Iran’s capacity for long-range detection, thereby facilitating sustained air operations with reduced risk of interception.