Israeli Air Force Destroys Iranian Air Defense Missile system Code Named SA-65 Identified as Khordad-3.

Israeli Air Forces struck multiple Iranian surface-to-air missile systems under Operation Epic Fury, with analysts identifying a destroyed battery in western Iran as a Khordad-3 medium-range air defense system. The loss of this domestically developed platform could weaken Iran’s regional air defense coverage and signal Israel’s ability to penetrate layered defenses.

Israeli Air Forces carried out coordinated strikes against Iranian air defense infrastructure during Operation Epic Fury, targeting what the Israeli Air Force described on February 28, 2026, as multiple strategic surface-to-air missile systems in the Kermanshah region. While Israeli officials referred to one destroyed system as an advanced “SA-65,” technical analysis by defense observers, including the Army Recognition Group, indicates that the launcher and radar configuration shown in the released 3D operational footage align with Iran’s Khordad-3 medium-range surface-to-air missile battery. The Khordad-3, developed by Iran’s domestic defense industry, is designed to engage aircraft, cruise missiles, and certain UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) threats at medium ranges, forming a key element of Iran’s layered air defense network in western sectors near critical military and industrial sites.
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Israeli Air Force video released February 28, 2026, announcing destruction of an “SA-65” system in western Iran, identified by Army Recognition Group defense analysts as a Khordad-3 medium-range air defense battery. (Picture source: Israeli Air Force)

The Israeli Air Force strike on Kermanshah carries immediate operational significance. Western Iran forms a critical defensive belt shielding strategic missile infrastructure, air bases, logistics hubs, and command facilities deeper inside the country. The region also protects western air approaches linking Iraq to central Iran. Medium-range air defense systems deployed in this corridor provide overlapping engagement coverage designed to intercept aircraft, unmanned systems, and precision-guided munitions before they can reach high-value targets. Neutralizing a Khordad-3 air defense battery in this area would directly reduce defensive density and weaken Tehran’s layered air defense architecture.

In its official communication, the Israeli Air Force referred to the destroyed system as an “advanced SA-65.” No publicly documented NATO reporting name corresponds to SA-65. NATO surface-to-air missile classifications follow structured sequences such as SA-6, SA-10, SA-17, and SA-21. The absence of an SA-65 designation in recognized Western nomenclature indicates that the term likely reflects internal Israeli intelligence coding rather than an established international classification. While the use of proprietary designations is standard practice within military intelligence communities, precise technical identification remains essential for accurately assessing operational impact.

The 3D animation released by the Israeli Air Force depicts a transporter-erector-launcher mounted on a tactical chassis carrying three vertically aligned cylindrical missile canisters, supported by a separate radar vehicle equipped with a flat-panel phased-array antenna. Army Recognition defense analysts note that this three-canister vertical launch configuration is a distinctive feature of the Khordad-3 system. It differs from Russian-origin Buk systems, which typically feature four exposed, rail-mounted missiles, and from S-300 family systems, which use larger quad-canister launch units with different radar architectures.

The Khordad-3, also known as Sevom Khordad, is an Iranian domestically developed medium-range air defense system integrated into the Raad family. It is designed to bridge the engagement gap between long-range strategic systems such as the Bavar-373 and shorter-range point defense assets, including the Tor-M1 and indigenous equivalents. The system is assessed to employ the Sayyad-2 or Taer-2B interceptor missile, offering an estimated engagement range between 50 and 75 kilometers and an altitude envelope of approximately 25 to 30 kilometers. Its active phased-array radar allows simultaneous tracking of multiple aerial targets and guidance of several interceptors, increasing effectiveness against maneuvering aircraft, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial systems.

Khordad-3 gained international attention in June 2019 when Iranian forces used it to shoot down a U.S. Navy RQ-4A Global Hawk high-altitude surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz. That incident demonstrated the system’s capability to engage high-altitude ISR platforms and confirmed its operational maturity. Since then, Khordad-3 has been regarded as one of the more credible components of Iran’s indigenous medium-range air defense inventory.

If the destroyed system in Kermanshah was indeed a Khordad-3 battery, its neutralization represents a significant degradation of Iran’s mid-tier air defense layer. A typical battery integrates radar, fire control, and multiple launch vehicles into a cohesive engagement node within the broader integrated air defense network. Eliminating such a node reduces redundancy and may create exploitable gaps between long-range and short-range defensive systems. In the context of Operation Epic Fury, this suggests a deliberate suppression-of-enemy-air-defenses campaign aimed at securing operational air access rather than conducting isolated symbolic strikes.

Operationally, degrading Khordad-3 coverage may enable deeper penetration by stand-off precision munitions, unmanned platforms, and potentially manned strike aircraft. Medium-range systems are essential for countering threats operating below the altitude envelope of long-range interceptors and beyond the reach of short-range defenses. Their loss reduces engagement layering and complicates rapid response to coordinated aerial incursions.

Strategically, the targeting of medium-range Iranian air defense assets signals a focus on eroding Tehran’s defensive resilience. Iran’s air defense doctrine emphasizes layered, overlapping engagement zones to deter advanced air forces and increase attrition risk. Systematic removal of key medium-range nodes disrupts this layered coherence and weakens the overall deterrent posture.

As Operation Epic Fury continues, additional confirmation through satellite imagery, battle damage assessments, or further official disclosures will clarify the scale of degradation inflicted on Iran’s integrated air defense network. Should further Khordad-3 air defense missile batteries be neutralized, the cumulative effect could substantially alter the balance of aerial access and strike survivability across western Iran.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.