The commander said Israeli aircraft were already fueled, armed, and prepared for takeoff when the mission was canceled.
By United with Israel Staff
New details are emerging about a large-scale Israeli Air Force operation against Iran that was ultimately called off just hours before execution, despite extensive preparations and the mobilization of hundreds of personnel.
The revelation comes days after reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu halted a major follow-up strike on Iran following direct pressure from President Donald Trump, who was seeking to preserve negotiations that ultimately led to the newly announced U.S.-Iran agreement.
According to Israeli media reports last week, dozens of Israeli warplanes were prepared to participate in a broad attack on Iranian targets and were awaiting final authorization when Trump intervened.
The planned operation reportedly followed a rapid escalation that began with Hezbollah attacks on northern Israel, Israeli strikes in Beirut’s Dahiyah district, and an Iranian missile response against Israel. Netanyahu later said he had ordered strikes on military and economic targets throughout Iran before the operation was halted.
Now, in a letter sent to Air Force personnel, newly appointed Israeli Air Force commander Maj. Gen. Omer Tischler revealed that crews had already completed preparations for another significant strike mission before it was canceled due to a dramatic diplomatic development.
According to the letter, the operation followed weeks of intensive planning and was intended to be one of the Air Force’s largest missions in recent years.
Tischler wrote that approximately 1,500 airmen were called up from their homes during the middle of the night after Iranian actions prompted preparations for a broad military response. Aircrews, intelligence officers, technical teams, planners, and support personnel reportedly assembled within hours, prepared to launch a major operation.
The Air Force commander described the level of readiness as extraordinary, saying personnel from across the service arrived on bases and completed final preparations in a remarkably short period.
According to Tischler, the operation was ultimately halted after a “dramatic development” occurred during the night. While he did not specify the nature of the development, the timing appears to coincide with the diplomatic efforts that culminated in the emerging U.S.-Iran agreement.
The commander said Israeli aircraft were already fueled, armed, and prepared for takeoff when the mission was canceled.
In his message, Tischler emphasized that although the strike never took place, the rapid mobilization itself demonstrated the Air Force’s ability to execute a large-scale operation against Iran on short notice.
“We were minutes away from carrying out the mission,” he wrote, praising the professionalism and readiness displayed by aircrews and support personnel throughout the process.
Tischler also noted that the Air Force had recently conducted combat operations over Iran and remains prepared to return if necessary.
The letter offers a rare glimpse into the intensity of the military preparations underway behind the scenes during the recent crisis with Iran and suggests that Israel was prepared to launch a major military response even as diplomatic efforts were reaching their final stages.
Despite the cancellation, Tischler stressed that Israel’s military remains ready to act whenever required, writing that the Air Force’s mission remains unchanged: ensuring the security of the State of Israel and maintaining its ability to respond rapidly to threats throughout the region.
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