American sources told Israel's Channel 12 that dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets and refueling planes carried out an aerial sortie overnight from Monday to Tuesday, approaching the Iranian border in a scenario simulating an attack on Iran before returning to Israel.
According to the sources, the aircraft flew over Syria and Iraq and came very close to the Iranian border before turning back toward Israel.
The sources explained that Israel had informed Washington in advance of the sortie, presenting it as a drill intended to demonstrate its military capabilities and deter Tehran. However, they noted that the impression was that Israel hoped the sortie would provoke an Iranian response that could justify launching a military attack on Iran.
The aerial sortie coincided with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's visit to Israel, where he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz at Ovda Airbase.
Although Israeli and American officials played down the sortie's uniqueness, saying its purpose was to deter Iran, the operation carried the risk of a miscalculation by Iran, according to the report. This could prompt Tehran to respond and lead to military escalation, potentially resulting in a resumption of the war.
American sources added that Israel was aware that Iranian air defense systems would detect the aircraft's movements, despite having previously informed Washington that the operation was part of a military exercise.
