Israeli jets reach Iran border in provocative mission

Dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets and refueling aircraft carried out an unusual operational mission between Monday night and Tuesday, flying in full attack formation over Syria and Iraq and reaching a very short distance from Iran's border before turning around and returning to their bases in Israel. The mission was reported Wednesday evening by Barak Ravid on Channel 12 News.

According to the report, based on US sources, Israel was well aware that Tehran's advanced detection and air-defense systems would identify the massive movement of aircraft approaching its borders.

Israel did notify the US administration in Washington in advance about the planned mission, the report said, but justified it as a military drill meant for "projecting power" and increasing deterrence against the Iranian regime.

However, the same American sources said they got the impression that behind the exercise stood a quiet Israeli hope that the Iranian air force or its air-defense systems would respond by firing at the Israeli aircraft, something that would have given Jerusalem an immediate pretext and international justification for carrying out a large-scale strike inside Iran.

The timing of the operational mission has drawn considerable interest in the political establishment, as it took place on the same day US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrived in Israel for an official visit. The secretary met at Uvda Air Base in southern Israel with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, against the backdrop of rising security tensions in the Middle East.

Hegseth confirmed the existence of the secret visit for the first time on Tuesday, during which he met with the prime minister. "I was there to visit our troops, and I had the opportunity to speak with the prime minister," the defense secretary said. As for the content of the conversation, he added: "Of course, the content of our conversation is not something I can talk about, but they were good partners, and I appreciate that."

At the same time, US President Donald Trump was also asked by reporters about the defense secretary's lightning trip to Israel. When asked whether he could reveal details about the issues raised in the Jerusalem meeting, the president preferred to remain vague and replied briefly: "I can't do that right now, no."

Netanyahu and Hegseth at their meeting. Archive (Photo: Prime Minister's Office)

Although various sources in Jerusalem and Washington tried to downplay the incident and claimed it was not unusual but routine deterrence activity, international security officials emphasize that any miscalculation or hasty Iranian response could have led to multi-arena escalation and even a full resumption of war.

Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke today at the officers' graduation ceremony at the IDF Officers' Academy and addressed developments in Iran. "The regime in Iran still has not learned the lesson. Mojtaba Khamenei, the dictator-in-waiting, has decided to follow in his father's footsteps. He has released Nazareth and Iran is trying again to develop its bombs of death," the prime minister said. "There is only one way to remove this threat once and for all, to bring down the regime in Iran. And that is my directive to the IDF, the Mossad and the security arms."

Defense Minister Israel Katz said at the ceremony: "In recent days we are identifying attempts by our enemies, led by Iran and its proxies, to advance terror attacks that will influence the election results in Israel. The Iranian regime is at its weakest point ever, and we identify that this weakness can lead it to take the most extreme steps, including against the State of Israel."

"Our message to the Iranian regime is clear: we identify your attempts, we are prepared to thwart them and ready to strike you with full force. If Iran attacks Israel, Iran will burn," Katz added.

The operational mission takes place against the backdrop of reports about contacts between Washington and Tehran. According to a report published in the Arabic newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Pakistan and Qatar have proposed a compromise framework that includes the transfer of interest amounting to $6 billion from frozen Iranian funds in Qatari banks, in exchange for an Iranian step in the area of oversight of the nuclear program.

However, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, made clear during a meeting with the commander of Pakistan's army that "not even a single particle of enriched nuclear material will leave Iran. The material will remain a national asset designated for domestic use only." Referring to the possibility of future dialogue with the American administration, the Iranian official clarified that "no negotiations will take place until the US rebuilds trust by fulfilling the conditions Iran has set."

At the same time, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Tehran this week on his first visit to the country since the war broke out. Analysts see the visit as a Russian warning to Iran not to stand by its side in a war against the United States and Israel, and estimate that behind the scenes a strategic deal is taking shape between Putin and Trump.