Learning from Iran-Israel War, Taiwan Strengthens Defenses Against China

The Iran-Israel war of June 2025, marked by Israel’s Operation Rising Lion, has become a critical case study for Taiwan as it faces escalating threats from China. Some Reports highlighted Taiwan’s largest-ever military drills, inspired by Israel’s success in preemptive strikes and cyber operations. Israel’s success in preemptive strikes, cyber warfare, and civil resilience has become a blueprint for Taipei, which is now fortifying its readiness across multiple fronts to counter potential aggression from Beijing.

Learning from Iran-Israel War

Taiwan has launched its largest-ever military drills, Han Kuang 41, simulating a Chinese invasion. These exercises, intensified post-war, focus on urban combat, missile defense, and joint operations with US-supplied F-16Vs and HIMARS systems. Drawing from Israel’s rapid mobilization against Iran, Taiwan is enhancing its air and naval capabilities, with 200,000 reservists trained in 2025 alone, according to the Ministry of National Defense. The goal is to ensure a robust response to any sudden escalation across the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan ramps up Military Drills

The Iran-Israel war highlighted the pivotal role of cyber operations, with Israel disabling Iran’s air defenses through digital strikes. Taiwan, aware of China’s cyber capabilities, has invested $1.2 billion in 2025 to bolster its cybersecurity infrastructure. The Information, Communications, and Electronic Warfare Command is upgrading firewalls and conducting simulated cyberattacks to protect critical systems like power grids and financial networks, learning from Iran’s vulnerabilities to Israel’s cyber assaults.

Iran-Israel Conflict Shapes Taiwan's War

Taiwan is also enhancing civil security, inspired by Israel’s Home Front Command. Over 500,000 civilians have joined shelter drills, and public awareness campaigns promote emergency preparedness. The US-Taiwan defense partnership has deepened, with $8 billion in US arms deliveries, including Patriot missiles, arriving in 2025. Joint exercises like Indo-Pacific Resolve mirror Israel’s coordination with US forces, ensuring interoperability.