Axios: Dozens of Israeli fighter jets carried out sorties towards the Iranian border
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The "Axios" website reported, citing Israeli and American sources, that dozens of fighter jets belonging to the Israeli Air Force carried out sorties on Monday, reaching the Iranian border.
The website stated that the operation, which took place more than 800 miles from Israel, was carried out a week before the Israeli elections and on the same day US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Israeli Ovda Air Base, noting that the sorties were not linked to Hegseth's visit.
According to the website, some Israeli and American officials said the sorties were not unusual and were aimed at deterring Iran, but they could have led to miscalculation, an Iranian response, and reigniting the war.
The sources stated that the exercise included dozens of fighter jets and refueling planes, and the planes took an air route consistent with the possibility of launching a strike against Iran, passing through Syrian and Iraqi airspace, before turning around and returning to Israel as they approached the Iranian border.
American officials said the Israelis knew that Iranian air defense systems would detect the sorties.
According to the sources, Israel informed the United States in advance of the operation, describing it as a training exercise aimed at "showing force" and deterring Iran from launching attacks against Israel before the elections.
However, some US sources said they had the impression that Israel was hoping the Iranians would fire at the planes, providing a justification to launch strikes against Iran.
Fox News reported on Tuesday that the Israeli Air Force conducted a drill toward Iran.
In a related context, Axios reported last week that Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump discussed in early October the possibility of launching a new large-scale military operation against Iran before the Israeli and US elections.
Netanyahu told Trump that he was concerned about what Israeli intelligence indicates that Iran is taking worrying steps to rebuild its nuclear program.
The sources stated that Israeli Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir told the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Kane, at the time, that reigniting the war during that period could lead to the postponement of the Israeli elections, given the possibility of an Iranian response.
