Ambassador (ret.) Yoram Ettinger | “Second Thought: a US-Israel Initiative” | April 17, 2026
Israeli Air Force F-15I Ra’am warplanes. Photo by IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikipedia
*”Epic Fury” has documented an unprecedent military synergy and cooperation (personal, social and operational mutual-respect) between the US and Israel, with the US leveraging Israel’s unique capabilities, especially in the areas of intelligence, the air force and special operations in the face of the war against America, which erupted in 1979. Israel – more than any other ally – has acted as a unique force-multiplier for the US.
*Several US combat pilots – among them a few US Congressmen and Congressional staff – shared with me their high esteem of Israel’s Air Force (IAF) and its contribution to the US Air Force in the areas of Command-Control-Communications, out-of-the-box battle tactics, avionics and maintenance. They underscored the benefits derived from the frequent joint US-Israel exercises, which feature the daring and innovative maneuvers conducted by the exceptionally, intensely-experienced Israeli pilots, whose do-or-die state-of-mind is a derivative of Israel’s “narrow geographic waistline” and unique seven-front-threats.
*The highly intense use of combat aircraft during “Epic Fury” – in addition to Israel’s ongoing wars against Hezbollah, Hamas and Houthi terrorists in Lebanon, Gaza and Yemen and the pro-Ayatollah terrorists in Iraq – has highlighted the “Israeli Turnaround Time factor,” which has been a decisive force multiplier, yielding sustained high-volume strikes that has outpaced Iranian initiatives. This refers to the IAF’s exceptionally rapid aircraft servicing, rearming, and preparation between sorties – using fewer but seamlessly-choreographed ground crew personnel, including female technicians – which extend to 1,000-1,200 miles each way. The relentless attempt to minimize the Ayatollah’s missile launching capabilities, requires sorties, which involve exceptionally intense 34+ hour mission days. US combat pilots attest that the IAF operates at a pace that “shatters global standards, sometimes flying up to three daily strikes,” operating under a flying-or-eating (no sleep) policy during much of Epic Fury. The IAF managed to convert speed on the ground into more strikes in the air.
*US combat pilots emphasized the fact that the IAF offensive displayed 200 aircraft simultaneously in one night, hitting 500 targets 1,000-1,200 miles away, sometimes with no midair refueling (facilitated by the F-35’s innovative external fuel tanks, developed by the IAF and Lockheed-Martin), and returning without a single collision/loss.
*The IAF has revolutionized air force’s battle tactics also through the Israeli-upgraded F-35, which is equipped with sensor fusion, electronic warfare, and data-sharing capabilities, which allow other combat aircraft to hit targets without exposing themselves as much.
*According to the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, “[The opening, preemptive air offensive] was a daylight strike based on a trigger event conducted by the Israeli Defense Forces, enabled by the US intelligence community…. [The Israeli operation was] impressive in size and scope, utilizing approximately 200 aircraft and conducting over 1,000 sorties by March 2… using American-made, Israeli-modified F-15, F-16, and F-35 fighters….”
*US intelligence specialists praised Israel’s rapid target identification (while in motion) and timely cueing for strikes; effective intelligence fusion across signals, imagery, cyber attacks, and human resources; good operational security and compartmentation that enabled coordinated U.S.–Israeli missions. They noted that the flow of Israeli intelligence during the 40-day conflict provided a level of regional insight equivalent to several U.S. intelligence agencies combined. This was particularly evident in the identification of over 7,000 critical targets, wiping out the Ayatollah’s air defenses and much of the Ayatollah’s ballistic missile and predator drones’ infrastructure.
The Bottom Line
The US-Israel relations constitute a mutually-beneficial two-way-street, where the US makes an annual $3.8bn investment in – rather than extending foreign aid to – Israel. This investment yields to the US tax payer an annual Return-on-Investment (R-o-I) well over 1,000%, which is the highest ever R-o-I on US government investments. Israel is a unique dollar and force multiplier, more than any other US ally.
So now that the USA has recognized the capabilities of the IAF and the IDF, are they really willing to go it alone against any enemy in the MENA region. Indeed, I would expect them to call for help in other regions too while adjusting their own combat parameters.
The IAF and the IDF have also recognized that the manufacturing power of the USA is a significant advantage in all cases and their effort to create their own industrial base is, at the moment, hampered by the ongoing war. However, the gained experience for all combat scenes is returned to the expansion and improvement of tactical capabilities.
This alliance is a force multiplier. However, the major factor here is the acceptance by the White House that the Iranian nuclear advances had to be stopped by force because diplomacy was not gaining traction with the Iranians. That is the greatest weakness apparent in the rest of NATO. If, however, the Iranians do ever get a nuclear weapon and the means to use it, NATO will wake up with a bang! Unfortunately, the canary will be gone!