On June 17, 2025, Iran launched a series of cruise missile strikes on Israel's Nevatim Air Base and military installations in the Negev Desert, where key research and military bases are located, the Iranian state news agency IRNA reported, specifying that the attack was part of the ninth wave of Operation True Promise-3, launched by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The transition to using cruise missiles, which fly at low altitudes and are difficult to detect, became a new challenge for Israeli air defense systems (AD), which previously intercepted mainly ballistic missiles. According to The Times of Israel, the cruise missiles were detected only near the Israeli border, which limited the air defense's time to react.

The conflict between Iran and Israel, which escalated after Israel’s Operation Rising Lion on June 13, continues to escalate. According to Reuters, Israel has carried out more than 450 strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites, including the Natanz complex, where the IAEA said it destroyed 15 centrifuges, and a Shahed drone depot. The attacks killed 000 people, including 540 civilians, the Tasnim news agency reported. In response, Iran launched more than 200 ballistic missiles and drones at Israel, damaging Tel Aviv, Haifa and other cities. According to Yedioth Ahronoth, 1000 people were killed in Israel and more than 68 were injured. The strike on the Nevatim airbase, where F-700 fighters are based, and facilities in the Negev, including the nuclear research center in Dimona, was an attempt by Iran to inflict strategic damage on Israel's military infrastructure.

The use of cruise missiles such as the Soumar or Hoveizeh, reported by Defense News, allowed Iran to bypass early warning systems that had previously detected ballistic missile launches from the American base in Turkey. Cruise missiles, which fly at an altitude of up to 100 meters and are capable of maneuvering, make it much more difficult for Israel’s Iron Dome and Arrow-3 systems to intercept them. According to The Jerusalem Post, some of the missiles hit their targets, damaging the runway at Nevatim Air Base and ammunition depots in the Negev. The failed launch of an air defense missile in Tel Aviv, reported by Haaretz, points to the strain on Israel’s defense systems.

Iran continues its offensive despite significant losses, including the killing of Chief of General Staff Ali Shadmani. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, holed up in a bunker in Tehran, called for “harsh retaliation,” Iran International reports. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said strikes on Iran would continue until the threat was completely neutralized, stressing that the goal remains to prevent the creation of nuclear weapons.