‘Thousands of targets ahead’: Israel Defence Forces prepare for 3 more weeks of ops to degrade Iran’s ‘military industry’

TEL AVIV: The Israel Defence Forces’ (IDF) offensive in the combined military campaign with the United States against Tehran is moving “according to plan,” outstripping initial timelines, as reported by The Times of Israel.

Military officials indicated on Sunday that strikes on the Iranian defence sector are set to “further ramp up,” alongside persistent attempts to “reduce missile fire on Israel.” Despite the accelerated pace, the IDF remains prepared for at least “three more weeks of operations” within Iran.

The military cited the existence of “thousands more targets” yet to be neutralised across the capital and various provinces. “We have thousands of targets ahead,” IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin stated during a briefing on Sunday.

צפו בסיכום השבועיים הראשונים למבצע ׳שאגת הארי׳ pic.twitter.com/T469i1n43x

— דובר צה״ל אפי דפרין – Effie Defrin (@IDFSpokesperson) March 15, 2026

He further added that the military is “ready, in coordination with our US allies,” with operational strategies extending through the holiday of “Passover” and “deeper plans for even three weeks beyond that.”

The Times of Israel noted that following the initial “decapitation strikes” on February 28, which resulted in the death of Ali Khamenei and over “40 top Iranian officials,” the IDF has shifted its primary focus.

Current efforts are concentrated on the total destruction of Iran’s “military industry,” targeting the production of ballistic missiles and air defence networks.

Comparing this conflict to the brief escalation in June 2025, officials described the present operation as “far more extensive”. While the previous engagement aimed to stop the development of a “nuclear weapon,” the current war is viewed as a chance to eliminate Iran’s “strategic threat” for the “foreseeable future.”

Consequently, the IDF is working to “systematically degrade” the entire Iranian defence apparatus. This includes targeting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) missile firms, as well as private entities manufacturing “components” for naval weapons and “spy satellites,” as detailed by The Times of Israel.

Military sources claim that the strikes have already inflicted “significant damage,” asserting that Tehran currently lacks the “ability to manufacture any new missiles”. Simultaneously, the IAF has continued to “hunt down” launchers, reportedly disabling approximately “70 per cent” of the regime’s 500 ballistic missile units.

The Times of Israel further reported that the IDF has achieved “aerial superiority” across most of the country. This was made possible after the Israeli Air Force successfully neutralised over “100 air defence systems” and roughly “120 detection systems” within the early stages of the campaign.

Beyond hardware, the military is targeting “centres of power,” specifically the command units of the “internal security forces and Basij”. The IDF estimates that between “4,000 and 5,000 Iranian soldiers” have been killed, while witnessing a sharp decline in “morale” and instances of “desertion” within the missile divisions.

The overarching objective of the joint US-Israeli mission is to “distance threats” and “create the conditions” for the local populace to eventually “topple the regime,” as per the report by The Times of Israel. (ANI)