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Israel’s long-range attack on Yemen is reminiscent of previous operations

Theo

Almost 30 years ago, the Air Force attacked the PLO headquarters in Tunis, 2,200 kilometers from Israel, as part of Operation Wooden Leg. It was the most comprehensive attack by this force to date.

A group of eight F-15 aircraft was supported by two tanker aircraft to cover the distance, and experts around the world were impressed by Israel’s ability to attack with fighter jets at distances normally used only by bombers – which Israel does not have.

The attack on the Houthi targets in Yemen is very reminiscent of this operation, with almost identical range but with different aircraft. In 2024, the Air Force has a squadron of F-15I Ra’am aircraft, which are more modern and better suited to long-range attacks than the F-15s used in the Tunis attack.

This time, the Air Force reportedly used the newer F-35 aircraft known as Adir – and these led the attack. The Air Force’s 100 F-16I Sufa aircraft are even more modern than the Ra’am that arrived 26 years ago. It is likely that the Ra’am and Sufa aircraft were also integrated into the operation, if only to protect the tankers.

Unlike the F-15 and F-16, the F-35 is a single-engine aircraft with a single pilot, rather than a pilot and navigator that can assist in the use of modern offensive weapons. However, it offers several significant advantages in long-range attacks.

The Lockheed Martin logo is seen during the Japan Aerospace 2016 air show in Tokyo, Japan, October 12, 2016. (Source: REUTERS/KIM KYUNG-HOON)

The first of these advantages is stealth, that is, the fact that their structure and the materials they are coated with make them very difficult for radars to detect, as these absorb most of their electromagnetic waves. An attacking F-35 will be detected much later than an F-15 or F-16, usually too late to be able to react. This is also important in the attack on Yemen, as the Houthis have already shown that they have anti-aircraft missile systems and have already shot down American drones.

Israel has already bought 50 aircraft from Lockheed Martin

The aircraft is also equipped with electronic warfare systems, including those from Israel, which the Air Force was keen to integrate into the aircraft it purchased. These systems are designed to protect the aircraft when it carries weapons and fuel tanks under the wings, which means it is not completely stealthy.

The second advantage is the aircraft’s sensors. Israel has already purchased 50 aircraft from Lockheed Martin, most of which have already been delivered, and is in the process of acquiring a third squadron. The list includes advanced radar, optical and thermal sensors, the ability to intercept radar transmissions and, most importantly, the ability to fuse this information to compare it with each other.

This allows the F-35 to locate targets, determine the safest flight path with minimal risk of detection and interception, and share its information with other aircraft and command centers in the rear. The F-35 is not just an attack aircraft; it has capabilities that until recently required a range of surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to achieve.

The third feature is its carrying capacity: 8.1 tons of bombs and missiles, of which about 1.4 tons are in two internal weapons bays for stealth aircraft, the rest on external suspension points on the wings. That’s a lot for a single-engine fighter of this size, and not much less than the twin-engine F-15I (11 tons). The F-35 can carry a variety of smart bombs, which it can drop from dozens to sometimes hundreds of kilometers away from the target, allowing a single quartet of Adir aircraft to attack dozens of targets.

The fourth feature is range: The F-35A model operated by the Air Force can fly about 1,150 kilometers in each direction, about 150 kilometers less than the roughly 1,300 kilometers of the F-15 and F-16 Sufa. All three can be refueled in the air by the Israeli Air Force’s older tanker aircraft, or they can deploy long-range missiles and bombs, as happened in the attack on Iranian radar that was attributed to Israel after the April 14 missile and drone attack.

Be that as it may, eight years after the first F-35 landed at Nevatim Air Base, Israel’s first stealth aircraft represents an important milestone.



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