What Israel lost in the 12-day war with Iran: A breakdown of major damage

June 25, 2025 by News Desk

Faced with an unprecedented barrage of missiles and drones from Iran and its proxies, Israel accepted a ceasefire on 24 June, 2025 to halt the spiraling damage to its infrastructure, economy, and civilian life. In just twelve days, the strikes overwhelmed air defenses, disrupted daily life in major cities, and exposed vulnerabilities in Israel’s preparedness for a full-scale regional assault, as per Israeli media.

While military officials pointed to high interception rates and tactical success, the scale of civilian suffering and economic loss pushed the government to seek a diplomatic pause through international intermediaries.

The damage on the ground was extensive. The damage quoted in this report is from Israeli media.

A humanitarian dimension further underscored the intensity of the Iranian strikes. Approximately 15,000 people were evacuated from high-risk areas, including border cities and strategic locations like Haifa, following damage to essential services.

Over 90,000 civilians were also internally displaced during peak threats, especially across northern towns under volley fire. At the same time, ongoing conflict with Iran-backed proxies since October 2023 has contributed to a sustained wave of emigration: roughly 42,300 Israelis permanently left the country between October 2023 and March 2024—12,300 in October 2023 alone, and an additional 30,000 over the following five months.

Over 40,000 property-damage claims were filed, ranging from shattered apartment blocks and public schools to scientific labs, hospitals, and power plants. Critical urban centers such as Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Beersheba bore the brunt of the attacks, with some towns in the north and south suffering repeated strikes. Economists now estimate that the direct losses during the twelve-day conflict are worth billions of dollars, while defense expenditures alone may have added another 1.4 to 3.3 billion dollars in just under two weeks.

Among the most notable losses was the destruction at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, where two laboratory buildings were wiped out in a direct missile strike. The institution, as per Israeli media, reported damages nearing 580 million dollars. In Beersheba, the Soroka Medical Center was partially destroyed, affecting emergency wards and inpatient services. The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange also sustained structural damage, though trading resumed swiftly. In Haifa, a missile hit the Ministry of Interior’s local offices and severely damaged the historic Al-Jarina Mosque.

Residential and commercial losses were widespread. More than 40,000 structures—including homes, clinics, restaurants, and offices—were affected, with losses estimated at 40 to 53 million dollars. Over 250 schools reported damage, particularly in areas near the Lebanese border and along the Mediterranean coast. The Ministry of Education has projected that reconstruction and repairs could cost between 75 and 100 million dollars. With schools shut down for weeks, the academic year for thousands of children was thrown into uncertainty.

Military infrastructure, while officially reported to have remained operational, did not go unscathed. Nevatim Air Base, Kirya headquarters in Tel Aviv, and the IDF’s Military Intelligence School sustained structural hits. Repair costs are likely included in the national infrastructure estimates. Separately, Israel lost at least three unmanned aerial vehicles during the campaign—two Hermes 900 drones and one IAI Eitan (Heron TP)—shot down over Iranian airspace. The total cost of these drone losses alone is estimated at around 70 million dollars.

A major blow came in Haifa, where Iran’s missiles struck both the city’s power generation facilities and the Bazan oil refinery complex. The power plant was forced offline, leading to localized blackouts and emergency rerouting of the grid. The oil refinery suffered infrastructure damage and production shutdowns, resulting in three fatalities. Combined damages to Haifa’s energy sector are estimated between 80 and 130 million dollars.

Daily military expenditures during the conflict were among the most costly in Israel’s history. Air-defense systems—including Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and the Arrow missile defense networks—were heavily used, with interceptor costs ranging from $50,000 to over $3 million each. Analysts estimate that Israel spent between 120 and 280 million dollars per day on missile interception and air operations. Over twelve days, total defense expenditures are believed to range from 1.4 to 3.3 billion dollars.

Casualties included 29 civilians killed and over 3,200 injured, with press reports from Beersheba and Tel Aviv confirming dozens of casualties in specific incidents. Israeli energy infrastructure and military bases, including Nevatim Airbase and the IDF’s Tel Aviv intelligence complex, sustained damage while remaining operational. Drone losses—two Hermes 900s and one IAI Eitan—added approximately 70 million dollars to the tally.