Israeli F-15s won't participate in US exercise due to tensions in north
While other IAF aircraft will join the Red Flag exercise in Alaska in May, fighter jets will remain home amid fears of Iranian retaliation for attack on T-4 base in Syria, attributed to Israel.
The Israel Air Force's F-15 aircraft will not participate in the Red Flag exercise, which is set to take place next month in Alaska, because of the high tensions on the northern border in the face of the threat of Iranian reprisal for an attack on the T-4 air base in Syria, which has been attributed to Israel.
Other IAF aicraft, including aerial refuelers, will still take part in the exercise.
"After a situation assessment, it was decided to make adjustments regarding the participation of certain aircraft in the exercise," an IDF spokesperson said.
Israel joined a previous Red Flag exercise two years ago, alongside Singapore and Jordan. Similar to the Blue Flag exercise, which Israel hosted last year, the exercise includes aerial combat scenarios against an "imaginary" enemy, dogfight simulations, air-to-ground attacks, and more.
Fourteen people were killed at the Iranian drone base at the T-4 military complex near Homs, according to the Syrian Center for Human Rights. The Iranian army has officially admitted that seven of its own military men were killed in the attack.
The Russian army claimed that two Israeli jets had carried out the attack, while Syria said the attack was carried out by Israeli F-15 fighters that launched a number of missiles from over Lebanese airspace.
The IDF is maintaining a high level of vigilance in the north, both in the air and on the ground, against any Iranian retaliation, including public and covert warnings Israel has been communicating to Tehran in recent days.
IDF bases on the northern border raised their threat level accordingly, out of fear of anti-tank rocket fire, terrorist infiltrations, or the use of explosive devices. Another significant possible scenario taken into consideration by the IDF is a barrage of rockets fired by the Iranians from Syria towards a large Israeli city.
