Israeli, US air forces run joint drill with heavy bomber, in likely signal to Iran
Exercise includes F-15I and F-35I fighter jets alongside a US B-52 bomber, whose help Israel could potentially need to strike Iran’s underground nuclear sites
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The Israeli Air Force held a joint exercise with the US Air Force on Tuesday, in what was likely a message to Iran amid speculation about a potential joint strike on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear facilities.
During the exercise, pilots “practiced operational coordination between the two militaries to enhance their ability to address various regional threats,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement Thursday.
The drill included Israeli F-15I and F-35I fighter jets flying alongside a US B-52 bomber.
“The exercise aimed to strengthen and maintain the longstanding cooperation between the forces while expanding connectivity and building integrated capabilities for a range of scenarios,” the IDF said.
The drill is potentially aimed at readying the Israeli military for a potential joint strike with the US on Iran.
The IAF has already carried out two strikes on Iran without US support, in response to Iran’s ballistic missile attacks on Israel. The Israeli strikes reportedly left key Iranian air defenses crippled.
Israeli Air Force F-15I and F-35I fighter jets fly alongside a US B-52 bomber during a drill on March 4, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
However, Israel would likely need the heavy capabilities of the B-52s to effectively hit Iran’s heavily fortified underground nuclear sites.
A report late last month said Iran had placed its nuclear facilities on high alert and deployed additional air defenses, bracing for a potential attack — but included an official’s statement that the existing defenses “may not be effective in the event of a large-scale strike.”
Iran, which is sworn to Israel’s destruction, insists its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes. However, the UN nuclear watchdog has said that Iran is currently enriching uranium to levels that have no civilian use, and the country has obstructed international inspectors seeking to visit its facilities.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said Iran must not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon, and reinstated a “maximum pressure” campaign of sanctions on the Islamic Republic upon his return to office in January.
At the same time, Trump has advocated a diplomatic agreement to stop Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon, saying last month: “I think Iran would love to make a deal and I would love to make a deal with them without bombing them.”
This week, Russia offered to mediate talks between the US and Iran about latter’s nuclear program.
Russia and Iran have expanded military ties in recent years, with a report Tuesday showing that Russian officials had visited Iranian missile production and air defense sites twice last year, both times within weeks of Tehran launching massive missile barrages at Israeli cities. In January, Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian in Moscow where they signed a 20-year strategic partnership.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
