From the Liveblog of
Sunday, March 12, 2023
Israeli fighter jets escort US bomber over Israeli airspace in message to Iran
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Israeli F-16 fighter jets escort an American B-52 bomber as it makes its way through Israeli airspace toward the Persian Gulf, in an apparent show of force to Iran amid lingering tensions in the region.
The flight took place “as part of close cooperation with the US Armed Forces, which is a significant component in maintaining the aerial security of the State of Israel and the Middle East,” the Israel Defense Forces says.
Israeli jets escorting American bombers have become a regular fixture in the skies of the Middle East in the past year, as tensions between Tehran and the West have risen amid stalled attempts to negotiate a new deal that would block the Islamic Republic from obtaining nuclear weapons in exchange for sanctions relief.
The Times of Israel Community.