Israeli jets fly toward Iran border in strike-like formation, Israeli TV reports
In short
Israel's Channel 12 reported on 21 October that dozens of Israeli fighter jets and aerial refuelling aircraft flew over Syria and Iraq toward the Iranian border and turned back. Two senior US officials, cited by the channel, said the flight on the night of 19 to 20 October followed a formation and route similar to an attack on Iran. Israeli authorities had not commented.
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Israel's Channel 12 reported on 21 October that dozens of Israeli fighter jets and aerial refuelling aircraft flew over Syria and Iraq earlier in the week, approached the Iranian border and turned back. The channel cited two senior US officials, who said the operation took place from the night of 19 October to the early hours of 20 October. According to them, the jets flew in a formation and on routes similar to those of a strike on Iran. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
The report said Israel informed the United States in advance and described the operation as an exercise meant to deter Iran and show Israeli military capability. The US officials, however, believed Israel might have been trying to induce Iran's air defences to fire on the jets, which would give it a pretext for a military strike on Iran. Israeli authorities had not commented, Xinhua, CLS and Yicai noted. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
China News Service said its account combined reports from Channel 12 and the Times of Israel. CLS and Yicai carried the same text as Xinhua, and Yicai said it was citing Xinhua. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Xinhua and China News Service added background. Axios, citing informed sources, reported on 19 October that US Defense Secretary Hegseth visited Israel that day and met Prime Minister Netanyahu. China News Service said Axios called the meeting notable because Israel's parliamentary election was less than ten days away and the United States and Israel were still consulting on a possible resumption of large-scale military operations against Iran. [ 1 , 2 ]
Both outlets said tension between Israel and Iran continued to rise, with six days left before the 27 October election. Netanyahu said earlier on 21 October that only overthrowing the Iranian regime could fully remove the threat he said Iran poses to Israel. [ 1 , 2 ]
Why it matters
The outlets say tension between Israel and Iran keeps rising, with Israel's parliamentary election due on 27 October. The reported US officials' view that Israel may have wanted Iran to fire on its jets shows concern about a pretext for a strike, but this rests on the Channel 12 report alone.
Key facts
- Israel's Channel 12 reported on 21 October that dozens of Israeli fighter jets and aerial refuelling aircraft flew over Syria and Iraq, approached the Iranian border and turned back. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The flight took place from the night of 19 October to the early hours of 20 October, according to two senior US officials cited by the report. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The jets flew in a formation and on routes similar to those of a strike on Iran. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Israel told the United States in advance and described the operation as an exercise meant to deter Iran and show Israeli military capability. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- US officials believe Israel may have been trying to induce Iranian air defences to fire on the jets, to gain a pretext for a strike on Iran. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Israeli authorities had not commented on the report. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Netanyahu said earlier on 21 October that only overthrowing the Iranian regime could fully remove the threat he said Iran poses to Israel. [ 1 , 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Xinhua, China News Service, CLS and Yicai all relayed Channel 12's report that dozens of Israeli jets and refuelling aircraft flew over Syria and Iraq toward the Iranian border and turned back. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Axios reported on 19 October that US Defense Secretary Hegseth visited Israel that day and met Prime Minister Netanyahu. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Israel's parliamentary election is scheduled for 27 October, six days after the report. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- Whether Israel intended to provoke Iran into firing on its jets. This is the belief of US officials as relayed by Channel 12, and Israel has not commented.
- Whether the flight was only an exercise. Israel described it to the US as an exercise to deter Iran, while the US officials cited see a possible pretext for a strike.
- The details of the flight and the US officials' accounts. The outlets all rely on one Channel 12 report, and the US officials are not named.