US and Israel Plan Attack on Iran via Iraq / Hebrew Media Reveals

A report attributed to the Hebrew daily Maariv describes a simulation of an air penetration scenario into Iran by Israeli fighter jets, and the flight of a US refueling aircraft over Iraq.

Maariv newspaper claimed that Israel's F-35 fighter jets, with US logistical support and aerial refueling over Iraq, have simulated an infiltration exercise into Iran; A move that, if confirmed, will raise questions about the military coordination between Washington and Tel Aviv and the role of Iraqi skies in a possible attack on Iran.

The Hebrew newspaper Ma'ariv reported in a report about the air exercise of the Zionist Air Force, in which the F-35I fighter jets known as "Adir" practiced the scenario of infiltrating Iran's airspace.

According to this report, an American KC-46A refueling plane also flew over Iraqi territory during this exercise. This claim, if confirmed, could be a sign of the advanced level of military coordination between Washington and Tel Aviv.

Mahana Shatafi, a political analyst, believes that the recent military developments and published reports about this exercise can indicate the readiness of the US and Israel for the possibility of carrying out a large-scale air attack against Iran.

In this regard, some Western media reports indicate that Donald Trump's administration has asked the Pentagon to update operational plans related to a possible attack on Iran; According to these reports, this action was proposed before the US mid-term elections.

Shatafi believes that the possible use of Iraqi airspace to support Israeli air operations could have significant political and security consequences for Baghdad and link this country, even indirectly, to preparations for military operations against its neighbor, Iran.

According to him, part of Iraq's airspace control and radar systems operate within the framework of the joint air operations command mechanisms led by the United States. From this point of view, the possible flight of the American refueling plane over Iraq raises questions about the level of information and the role of the country's government in such movements.

However, the published report does not provide independent evidence of the Iraqi government's knowledge or consent to such an operation, and the mere allegation of the flight of a refueling plane is not enough to conclude that Baghdad was involved in planning or executing a possible attack on Iran.

Training to attack Iran's strategic facilities?

In another part of Maariv's report, it is claimed that this exercise was not just a show of power and it also simulated scenarios for attacking strong installations deep in Iran's soil.

According to this report, the distance between some Israeli operational bases and possible targets in Iran is about 1,500 to 2,000 kilometers; A matter that makes aerial refueling one of the important components of long-range operations.

It is said that in this exercise, the fighters have practiced scenarios to cross the areas covered by the air defense systems. Also, reports have been published about the testing of electronic warfare systems to disrupt the functioning of Iran's ground radars, reduce the ability to track flying targets and make it difficult to guide the defense systems.

Flight simulation over strategic facilities related to Iran's missile and nuclear programs is also mentioned as another part of this exercise.

Operational readiness or efforts to strengthen deterrence?

Based on the analysis presented in this report, examining the scenarios of penetration deep into Iran's soil, dealing with defense systems and logistical support of fighters can indicate the attention of the United States and Israel to the requirements of a long-range air operation.

However, the published information alone is not enough to prove the definite decision of Washington or Tel Aviv to attack Iran and so far no official announcement has been made in this regard.

Therefore, it is still not clear whether the alleged movements were carried out with the aim of strengthening deterrence and sending a military message to Tehran or are part of the operational preparation for a possible attack scenario; An issue that needs independent evidence and more detailed information about the nature of the exercise to clarify its dimensions.