Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has said that United States fighter jets, bombers and refuelling aircraft operated from Israeli airbases during recent strikes on Iranian targets, marking the first public acknowledgment by a senior Israeli official of such cooperation.
Speaking in an interview with Israel’s Channel 14 on Tuesday, Katz said Iran was aware that American aircraft had taken off from Israel to carry out the attacks, describing the operations as part of a strategy to deter further aggression from Tehran.
“They know that American aircraft are taking off from here, and refuelling aircraft are taking off from here, to strike,” Katz said.
Katz said Israel had made clear it would respond forcefully to any future attacks, adding that the country remained prepared to strike Iran if necessary.
“We announced in the clearest terms that if Israel is fired upon, we will attack with all our might. We are prepared to strike Iran,” he said.
Referring to Iran, Katz claimed that “the arrogant empire that threatened to destroy Israel has collapsed,” while maintaining that Israel would continue acting against threats to its security.
The defence minister also addressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington, saying Iran would be a central topic of discussion.
He added that while Israel and the United States shared common concerns over Iran, Washington also had broader strategic interests in dealing with Tehran.
Katz said Trump understood Israel’s position that it would not withdraw from security buffer zones in Lebanon, Gaza and Syria.
Citing a recent visit to Gaza, he said extensive tunnel networks remained in the territory, underscoring Israel’s security concerns.
On the possibility of future settlement discussions in Gaza, Katz said such talks would only be appropriate once it was clear that Hamas had failed to comply with ceasefire commitments.
Commenting on tensions with Turkey, Katz warned against what he described as the “Muslim Brotherhood axis” and cautioned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan against challenging Israel, saying the country would continue to defend its interests.
Katz’s remarks come amid heightened regional tensions following the recent conflict between Israel and Iran and ongoing concerns over attacks by Iran-backed armed groups across the Middle East.
His comments on the use of Israeli airbases by US aircraft have not been independently confirmed by the United States or the Israeli military.
(The Whistler)