Exclusive: US-Israel conducted more strikes per day in Iran than in any other bombing campaign in recent history, monitoring group reports
U.S and Israel jointly claimed to have hit around 4,000 targets in the first four days in Iran, according to UK-based Airwars.
That is more targets than in the first six months of the U.S-led coalition’s bombing campaign against the Islamic State group, and nearly double the average number of targets per day claimed by Israel in the first four days of its Gaza war, considered one of the most intense bombing campaigns in the 21st century.
Only the opening salvo of Israel’s war against Lebanon in 2024 may compare. Israel claimed it hit 1,600 targets in the first 24 hours, but the daily rate subsequently dropped, said Airwars, which with a sister organization monitors civilian casualties and the use of munitions.
The increase in targets hit per day has been facilitated by the extensive use of artificial intelligence in targeting by Israel’s military. AI is likely feeding the U.S. target banks as well, Airwars said.
(Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.)
