What the Israeli Air Force Has in the Sky

As the Middle East country wages war against Islamic militant group Hamas, FLYING takes a look at its fighter fleet.

Kimberly Johnson

Monday, October 09, 2023 at 04:58 PM ET

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As of January 2023, Israel had received 36 F-35 fighters. [Credit: Israel Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) conducted extensive airstrikes in Gaza City's Rimal area, targeting identified Hamas strongholds.
The IAF ranks 9th globally with a fleet of 581 aircraft, making it a significant component of Israel's overall military strength (ranked 18th).
Israel is actively modernizing its air force, expanding its F-35 "Adir" stealth fighter fleet to 75 jets and acquiring new KC-46A tankers and CH-53K heavy-lift helicopters.
These military acquisitions and Israel's defense capabilities are largely supported by substantial U.S. foreign aid, amounting to billions annually.

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The Israeli Air Force (IAF) ramped up airstrikes against what it identified as Islamic militant terrorist strongholds Monday. Dozens of IAF fighter jets targeted structures including multistory buildings in the Rimal area of Gaza City, the service said.

“Rimal serves as a hub for the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip, from which many attacks against Israel were launched,” IAF said in a message on X, formerly known as Twitter.