How Many Times Has Iran Bombed Israel? Unpacking The Shadow War

Andy Kihn 23 Jun 2025

**The question of how many times has Iran bombed Israel is far more complex than a simple numerical answer. For decades, the relationship between these two powerful Middle Eastern nations has been characterized by a simmering "shadow war," a clandestine conflict fought through proxies, cyberattacks, assassinations, and targeted strikes rather than direct, overt military invasions. This intricate dance of aggression and retaliation makes it challenging to pinpoint a definitive count of direct Iranian "bombings" on Israeli soil, as many actions are deniable, indirect, or part of a broader, undeclared conflict.** Understanding this dynamic requires delving into the history of their animosity, examining specific incidents, and recognizing the asymmetrical nature of their engagement.

While Israel has openly acknowledged numerous strikes against Iranian targets, particularly those related to its nuclear program or military infrastructure, direct Iranian attacks on Israel have historically been less frequent and often conducted through proxies or as explicit retaliation. This article will explore the documented instances, the nature of these attacks, and the broader context that shapes this perilous rivalry, drawing upon reported incidents and the human cost involved.

The Elusive Nature of Direct Confrontation

When we ask "how many times has Iran bombed Israel," we are often looking for a clear, quantifiable answer. However, the reality of the Iran-Israel conflict is far from straightforward. For decades, Israel and Iran have fought a shadow war across the Middle East, trading attacks by land, sea, air, and in cyberspace. This means that while direct, overt military engagements between the two nations have been rare, a constant low-level conflict has been ongoing, primarily through proxies or deniable operations. The term "bombed" itself implies an air strike or missile attack, and while these have occurred, they are often part of a larger, less visible campaign.

The complexity stems from several factors: Iran's strategic doctrine of "forward defense" relies heavily on empowering and supporting regional non-state actors like Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza, and various militias in Syria and Iraq. These groups often act as extensions of Iranian foreign policy, launching attacks that serve Iranian interests without directly implicating Tehran in a conventional war. Conversely, Israel's strategy has been to proactively disrupt Iranian nuclear ambitions, missile development, and proxy networks through covert operations, cyberattacks, and targeted strikes within Iran or against Iranian assets in third countries. This dynamic makes it difficult to attribute every single attack directly to either state, blurring the lines of "who bombed whom" on a given day.

Early Skirmishes and the Proxy Landscape

The roots of the current animosity trace back to the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which transformed Iran from a U.S. ally to an anti-Zionist Islamic Republic. From that point, Iran began to actively support groups committed to Israel's destruction. This proxy warfare has been the primary mode of Iranian engagement against Israel for decades. Groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon, heavily armed and trained by Iran, have launched numerous rocket attacks into northern Israel, particularly during conflicts like the 2006 Lebanon War. Similarly, Palestinian factions in Gaza, receiving varying degrees of support from Iran, have fired thousands of rockets at Israeli communities.

While these attacks cause significant damage and loss of life in Israel, they are not direct "bombings" by the Iranian military. They are conducted by non-state actors, albeit with Iranian backing. This distinction is crucial when attempting to quantify how many times has Iran bombed Israel. The casualty figures, however, do paint a grim picture of the impact. To date, 24 Israelis have died from Iranian strikes, and more than 220 Iranians have been killed in the Israeli attacks, which Israel began in a bid to set back Iran's nuclear program. This highlights the asymmetrical nature of the conflict's direct human cost, where Israeli actions have often resulted in higher Iranian fatalities, while Iranian-backed actions have led to Israeli casualties.

Key Iranian Retaliatory Strikes

Despite the reliance on proxies, there have been instances where Iran has launched direct or near-direct attacks against Israel, often in retaliation for perceived Israeli aggression. These events are significant because they represent a departure from the usual shadow warfare and escalate the conflict to a new level.

The 2024 Missile Barrage: A Turning Point?

One of the most significant and widely reported direct confrontations occurred in April 2024. Following an Israeli strike on an Iranian consulate in Damascus, which killed several high-ranking Iranian military officials, Iran launched a massive missile and drone attack directly at Israel. This was a clear, overt act of retaliation. Iran has launched a missile attack against Israel in retaliation for the killing of militant leaders allied to Tehran. Sirens sounded as Israel’s entire 10 million population was told to seek shelter. This event marked a critical escalation, as it was the first time Iran had openly attacked Israel from its own territory, striking air defense systems and sites associated with its missile program. This incident stands out as a clear answer to "how many times has Iran bombed Israel" in a direct, state-on-state manner, representing a singular, large-scale event rather than numerous isolated bombings.

While the majority of the incoming projectiles were intercepted by Israel's multi-layered air defense system, supported by international allies, the sheer scale of the attack demonstrated Iran's capability and willingness to strike directly. This event shifted the paradigm from a purely shadow war to a more overt, albeit still limited, direct confrontation. The world watched as more explosions were reported in Tehran and Tel Aviv as the conflict between the Middle East foes escalated, signaling a dangerous new phase.

Casualties and Impact: The Human Cost

When discussing "how many times has Iran bombed Israel," it's essential to consider the impact, not just the number of strikes. While direct Iranian military "bombings" on Israeli soil are few, the cumulative effect of Iranian-backed proxy attacks has resulted in casualties and widespread disruption. Data indicates that Iranian retaliatory strikes have killed at least 24 people. This figure encompasses fatalities from various forms of Iranian-backed aggression, including rocket fire from Gaza or Lebanon, and potentially other incidents. Before the news of the death, Iran state media reported that at least 224 people have been killed since Israel began bombing Iran on Friday, highlighting the significant human toll on the Iranian side from Israeli operations.

The human cost of this conflict is not limited to direct military engagements. Israel’s ongoing attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, generals, and scientists killed 78 people and wounded more than 320 on a recent Friday, Iran’s ambassador told the U.N. Security Council, but he said “the overwhelming majority” of victims were civilians. This statement, while from an Iranian official, underscores the broader impact of the conflict, where Israeli actions against Iranian targets, often perceived as preemptive or retaliatory, lead to significant casualties, some of whom are civilians. The focus on civilian casualties further complicates the narrative of who is "bombing" whom and the ethical implications of these long-standing hostilities.

Israel's Proactive Strikes on Iran

To fully answer the question of how many times has Iran bombed Israel, it's crucial to understand the context of Israel's own extensive and often acknowledged operations against Iran. Israel views Iran's nuclear program and its ballistic missile capabilities as existential threats, leading to a proactive strategy of disruption and deterrence. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have bombed sites across Iran and said its targets included nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories, and military commanders as part of an operation it said was designed to protect its security. This proactive approach by Israel has been far more frequent and overt than direct Iranian attacks on Israeli territory, setting the stage for Iranian retaliation.

Targeting Nuclear Ambitions: The Cyber and Physical Front

Israel has consistently targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities, believing Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons. Between 2007 and 2025, Israel has targeted nuclear sites of Iran at least 12 times. These included cyberattacks known as Stuxnet, Stars, Duqu, and Flame, physical sabotage through blasts in sites like Natanz, drone attacks on Karaj, and airstrikes on Parchin and Natanz. These operations, often shrouded in secrecy, are designed to slow down or cripple Iran's nuclear program. That effort, which slowed down Iran’s nuclear program, was one of many U.S.-Israeli collaborative endeavors to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear capabilities. The more we learn, the clearer it becomes that Israel struck in the nick of time, as Iran was very close to the bomb, and its ballistic missiles were becoming a dire threat. This narrative underscores Israel's perceived urgency and justification for its actions, irrespective of how many times has Iran bombed Israel directly.

Disrupting Missile Programs and Military Command

Beyond nuclear facilities, Israel has also focused on Iran's ballistic missile program and its military command structure. For instance, an Israeli strike hit Iran's state broadcaster on Monday, June 16, and bombed a command center of an elite Iranian military unit, The New York Times reported. That same day, Israel said it hit specific targets. Such actions are part of Israel's broader strategy to degrade Iran's ability to project power and threaten Israel, either directly or through its proxies. The recent incident on April 26, 2024, where Israel openly attacked Iran for the first time, striking air defense systems and sites associated with its missile program, further exemplifies this strategy. These are not isolated incidents but rather components of a sustained campaign to counter what Israel perceives as a growing threat.

The Role of Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence

The shadow war between Iran and Israel is also fought intensely in the realm of intelligence. Both nations engage in espionage, sabotage, and targeted assassinations. These covert operations are critical components of their respective strategies, often leading to retaliatory actions that further complicate the question of how many times has Iran bombed Israel directly. For instance, Iran executes a man it said worked for Israel's Mossad foreign intelligence agency and played a role in the killing of Revolutionary Guard Col. Hassan Sayyad Khodaei in Tehran on May 22, 2022. This execution, and the alleged Mossad involvement, highlights the deep intelligence penetration and counter-intelligence efforts at play. Another reported incident on April 30, 2025, concerning Iran executing a man it said worked for Israel’s Mossad foreign intelligence agency and played a role in the killing of Revolutionary Guard Col. Hassan Sayyad Khodaei in Tehran on May, further emphasizes the ongoing nature of this clandestine battle.

These intelligence operations, while not "bombings," often trigger responses that could include missile launches or proxy attacks. The assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists, military commanders, and other key figures, often attributed to Israel, has consistently fueled Iranian vows of revenge, contributing to the cycle of violence that occasionally manifests in direct or indirect strikes against Israeli interests. This intricate web of covert actions and retaliatory measures makes it challenging to isolate and count only direct military "bombings" when assessing the overall conflict.

The Broader Regional Conflict: Hamas and Beyond

The conflict between Iran and Israel cannot be viewed in isolation. It is deeply intertwined with broader regional dynamics, particularly the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, where Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip stormed into Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 hostage, beginning the most intense war between Israel and Hamas, significantly altered the regional security landscape. While Hamas is an independent entity, it receives political and material support from Iran, making its actions part of the larger Iranian "axis of resistance" against Israel. Therefore, while Hamas's rocket attacks are not direct Iranian bombings, they are often seen by Israel as extensions of Iranian influence and a component of the broader threat.

This broader context means that any discussion of how many times has Iran bombed Israel must acknowledge the indirect nature of much of the conflict. The escalation of tensions in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq often reflects the underlying strategic competition between Iran and Israel. The "shadow war" is not just about direct strikes but also about shaping the regional environment, supporting allies, and undermining adversaries, all of which can lead to violent outbreaks that impact Israeli security.

Iranian Missile Capabilities and Deterrence

Iran possesses a significant arsenal of ballistic missiles and drones, which are central to its deterrence strategy and its ability to project power. The military has said Iran had about 3,000 missiles, though it is not clear that all of them have the range to hit Israel. And Iran must shoot off so many at a time to penetrate Israeli air defenses. This highlights the challenge Iran faces in overcoming Israel's sophisticated multi-layered air defense system, which includes the Iron Dome, David's Sling, and Arrow systems. The effectiveness of these defenses means that even large-scale attacks, like the one in April 2024, may not result in widespread damage or casualties, despite the volume of projectiles launched.

The development of these capabilities is a major concern for Israel, which views them as a direct threat to its population centers. Iran's missile program, alongside its nuclear ambitions, forms the core of Israel's justification for its preemptive and defensive strikes. Understanding Iran's missile capabilities is crucial for comprehending the nature of potential future attacks and why Israel invests so heavily in intelligence and defense against them, constantly asking itself how to prevent Iran from effectively bombing Israel.

Diplomacy, US Involvement, and the Future

The ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel is not solely a bilateral issue; it involves significant international players, most notably the United States and European powers. European diplomats held talks with Iran in various attempts to de-escalate tensions, particularly concerning Iran's nuclear program. Israel is waiting for the United States to get directly involved in deterring Iran, and past U.S. administrations have played crucial roles. President Trump, for example, said he would make a decision about attacking Iran "within the next two" days at one point, indicating the high-level consideration of direct military action by the U.S. in response to Iranian provocations.

The future of the Iran-Israel conflict remains uncertain. The recent direct exchange of strikes has demonstrated a dangerous escalation in a relationship long defined by shadow warfare. David Horovitz, the founding editor of The Times of Israel, has observed that Iran and Israel exchange strikes, and there have been more explosions tonight in Tehran and Tel Aviv as the conflict between the Middle East foes escalates. This suggests a potential shift towards more overt and direct confrontations, making the question of "how many times has Iran bombed Israel" potentially more frequent in the future. The international community continues to call for restraint, but the deep-seated animosity and perceived existential threats on both sides make a lasting resolution incredibly challenging. Follow live updates on Israeli military strikes in Iran to stay informed on this evolving situation, as the answer to how many times has Iran bombed Israel will likely continue to change.

Conclusion

The question of how many times has Iran bombed Israel is not easily answered with a simple number. While Israel has carried out numerous acknowledged strikes against Iranian targets, particularly those related to its nuclear and missile programs, direct Iranian military "bombings" on Israeli soil have been rare and largely retaliatory, often occurring through proxies or as singular, large-scale events like the April 2024 missile barrage. The conflict is primarily a complex shadow war, characterized by intelligence operations, cyberattacks, proxy warfare, and targeted assassinations, all contributing to a dangerous cycle of aggression and retaliation.

The human cost on both sides, with dozens of Israelis killed by Iranian-backed actions and hundreds of Iranians killed in Israeli strikes, underscores the severe consequences of this prolonged conflict. As the regional dynamics continue to evolve, with the involvement of international powers and the ongoing threat of escalation, understanding the nuanced nature of this rivalry is more crucial than ever. We encourage you to delve deeper into the complexities of Middle Eastern geopolitics and share your thoughts on this critical issue in the comments below, or explore other related articles on our site for more comprehensive insights.

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