Israeli F-15I fighter jets en route to attack Iran in June 2025. (Source: Israel Defense Forces)
The head of the Israeli Air Force has said that a major strike on Iran using the “entire Air Force” was called off last week after Iran bombed northern Israel in response to Israel’s strikes.
Israel did launch strikes against Iran following the Iranian attack, but according to media reports, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scaled down the strikes after a phone call with President Trump, who initially said he would tell Israel not to respond at all.
Israeli Air Force Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Omer Tischle did claim that Israel hit “dozens of targets” in Iran on Monday, June 8, but added that a much larger operation didn’t go forward.
According to The Times of Israel, Tischle told Israeli soldiers on Tuesday that “the entire Air Force was ready to take off for a broad strike sortie” that would have included attacks on “hundreds of targets in the heart of Iran.”
He added that “the strike was halted while we were briefing in the squadrons, just one hour before the departure for the sortie.”
According to The Wall Street Journal, when Trump spoke with Netanyahu before the Israeli strikes, and it became clear the Israeli leader wouldn’t call off his plans to attack Iran, Trump asked him to keep it limited.
Another escalation between Israel and Iran could come soon, as the Iranian military has warned of a “harsh response” if Israel continues its war in Lebanon, which is supposed to end under the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding, but Israeli attacks have continued and killed at least four people on Tuesday.
This article was originally featured at Antiwar.com and is republished with permission.
