The Israeli Air Force has released new footage that confirms striking five Iranian combat helicopters early Monday morning at Kermanshah Air Base, in what officials described as a targeted operation to neutralize a direct threat to Israeli aircraft operating over Iran.
According to the Israeli Ministry of Defense, the AH-1 helicopters were “intended to strike Israeli Air Force aircraft operating in Iranian airspace.”
The operation was carried out with precision airstrikes before the helicopters could be launched, the ministry said.
“In a preemptive action, the Air Force identified and struck five Iranian AH-1 attack helicopters located at a military base in the Kermanshah region,” the ministry’s statement said in Hebrew. “These helicopters were intended to harm Israeli aircraft operating over Iran.”
Iran’s AH-1 fleet traces back to original U.S. deliveries in the 1970s, prior to the 1979 revolution. Following decades of arms sanctions, Tehran upgraded the platform domestically into the Toufan I and II variants, integrating local avionics and weapons systems.
The AH-1 platform, designed for anti-armor and close air support, poses a risk to Israeli strike packages flying at medium altitudes or loitering over key targets.
Israeli F-35 and F-15 fighter jets and remotely piloted aircraft have targeted radar systems, missile launchers, and air defense sites in an effort to establish and maintain air superiority over western Iran and the capital, Tehran.
Israeli officials have repeatedly stated that control of the skies is critical for preventing Iranian missile attacks against civilian and military targets. “We will continue to strike anywhere we want to strike in Iran,” IDF Spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said earlier this week, adding that Israeli forces are operating “in seven arenas” and remain focused on dismantling threats across the region.