Israeli jets

Israeli-made 'Kfir' aircraft will fly until 2030, following new deal between Sri Lanka, IAI

Sri Lanka is upgrading the five Kfir jets that it has under a $50 million deal with IAI. The planes received an advanced cockpit, a new mission computer, and additional avionics improvements.

|ByUDI ETZION
Israeli-made Kfir fighter jets.
An Israeli flag hangs on a building in southern Lebanon as seen from the Israeli side of the border, April 17, 2026.

Global norms unraveled quietly, long before today’s conflicts - opinion

International law has been inconsistently applied for decades, predating today’s Middle East wars.

|ByYONI MICHANIE
Israeli Air Force fighter pilots embark to attack Iranian nuclear targets, June 15, 2025

Air Force delays pilot course for two of 15 cadets jailed for potential security leak

The cadets failed to complete a special training program that was supposed to culminate with a weekend at a hotel, under strict conditions requiring them to remain isolated.

|ByYONAH JEREMY BOB
An IAF jet prepares to depart prior to the strikes on military targets in Iran. October 26, 2024.

'System Shock': The secret IAF protocol that brought Iran's air defenses to its knees

Israel’s Operation Rising Lion included a daring air force strike over Tehran, part of a secret plan to destabilize Iran’s defenses and leadership system.

|ByAMIR BOHBOT

Giora Epstein, IAF's top ace and most decorated pilot, passes away at 87

Epstein was also the man who activated the sirens across Israel on Yom Kippur, 1973, when the IAF detected takeoffs from Syrian and Egyptian air force bases.

JULY 19, 2025ByUDI ETZION
Giora Epstein receives rank of Brig.-Gen. by then-IDF chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot in 2018.

Israeli F-15 fighter jet almost forced to land in Tehran in mid-air fuel tank fire - N12

A contingency plan was prepared in parallel, which included the option of landing in a neighboring country should the malfunction persist.

JULY 12, 2025ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
A F-15 fighter jet flies during a graduation ceremony for Israeli Air Force pilots at Hatzerim Airbase, in southern Israel, June 29, 2023.

Israeli Defense Ministry to acquire nation's third F-35 fighter jet squadron

A ministry statement said that the agreement was signed by Brig.-Gen. (Ret.) Mishel Ben Baruch and that it included 25 F-35 aircraft manufactured by Lockheed Martin.

JUNE 4, 2024ByYONAH JEREMY BOB
F-35's arrive in Israel after being purchased from Lockheed Martin, November 13, 2022

Israeli mother and son killed by Lebanese missile fire, IDF strikes Hezbollah

A missile fired at Kfar Yuval struck a house, killing two people.

JANUARY 14, 2024ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
A wounded person from the scene of the anti-tank missile in Kfar Yuval, is brought to the Ziv Medical center in Tzfat, northern Israel, January 14, 2024

The strategic value of Israel's air force - opinion

Israel can prepare with confidence for both surgical offensive operations and optimal defensive plans.

AUGUST 7, 2023ByAMIKAM NORKIN, ABE KATSMAN
SMOKE RISES after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, earlier this year. Israel’s rapid pinpoint attack capability to fight urban-based and civilian-embedded terror is transforming the strategic impact of air power, say the writers.

Israel, Italy begin joint F-35 drill

The Israeli Air Force believes that international exercises such as this one improves and strengthens the IAF's capabilities to deal with threats in real-time.

JULY 24, 2022ByANNA AHRONHEIM
The Israeli Air Force works to fight new and developing threats across the region

Israel dropped the ball in KC-46 refuelers saga - editorial

According to the reports, Israel could wait until 2023 or 2024 until it receives the KC-46A aircraft.

DECEMBER 20, 2021ByJPOST EDITORIAL
A Boeing KC-46 tanker belonging to the Israeli Air Force is seen fueling a fighter jet in the air.

F-15 performs emergency landing during drill, IAF staff lightly injured

This was the first time such a malfunction occurred in an F-15 and it is still unclear what caused it. 

DECEMBER 3, 2021ByANNA AHRONHEIM
AN ISRAELI F-15 fighter jet prepares to take off from a base in the South. F-15s are regularly used in ‘roof knocking’ operations.

IAF officially closes 117th First Squadron

The oldest squadron in the IAF was closed as part of the IDF's Momentum multi-year plan

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020ByANNA AHRONHEIM
An f-16 with the 117th squadron takes off from Ramat David airbase in northern Israel.

IDF finds cockpit cover of F-15 that was lost at 30,000 feet

On Monday, the army said the plane's pilot and navigator safely landed after their aircraft after the incident.

JANUARY 8, 2019ByANNA AHRONHEIM
Israeli Air Force F15 planes fly during an aerial demonstration at a graduation ceremony for Israeli air force pilots at the Hatzerim air base in southern Israel, December 27, 2017.