Inside StoryIt’s been several days now since Israel launched its surprise attack on Iran.The conflict has since escalated with each side launching dozens of strikes.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3IAEA warns Israel-Iran conflict threatens nuclear facilities, diplomacylist 2 of 3China’s Xi Jinping meets Central Asian leaders: Why their summit matterslist 3 of 3Borders closing and airspace shut as Israel-Iran conflict ragesend of listAnd because the warring sides don’t share a border, the attacks have largely been focused on air strikes.While Iran may have the largest stock of missiles and drones in the Middle East, Israel’s air force is considered one of the most powerful in the world – and its air defence system, one of the most advanced.And more crucially, Israel has the backing of the United States.So is one military at a clear advantage?Will the length of the conflict make a difference?And are there other factors at play in this conflict?Presenter: Nick ClarkGuests:Mamoun Abu Nowar – retired Jordanian air force generalMarina Miron – military analyst and researcher in the War Studies Department at King’s College LondonJustin Bronk – senior research fellow for airpower and technology at the Royal United Services InstitutePublished On 16 Jun 2025