Every war the Israeli Air Force has fought
Kill and loss figures from 1967, 1973 and 1982 differ widely by side, and Israeli claims are given as Israeli claims. In the Gaza war every casualty figure is attributed: the Gaza Health Ministry reported more than 80,000 Palestinians killed by 2026, the International Court of Justice ordered provisional measures against Israel in 2024 and a UN Commission of Inquiry concluded in September 2025 that genocidal acts had been committed, figures and findings Israel disputes. Iran has claimed to shoot down Israeli F-35s; the IDF denies losing any manned combat aircraft. Where a consolidated sortie or loss figure exists in the official record it is given here; where accounts disagree, the range is shown and the disagreement named. Blank cells are blank because no figure could be verified, not because the fighting was small.
From the S-199s over Ad Halom in 1948 to the war with Iran in 2026.
| Conflict | Years | Against | Main aircraft | Sorties | Aircraft lost | |
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| The 1948 Arab–Israeli WarWar of IndependenceIsraeli Air Force (from Sherut Avir) | 1948–1949 | Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Jordan | Avia S-199, Spitfire IX, B-17and 3 more | — | — | |
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Built an air force in combat: ground attack against the Egyptian advance, air defence of Tel Aviv, bombing and transport. The service was formally established on 28 May 1948 and flew its first combat mission the next day, when four S-199s of 101 Squadron strafed the Egyptian column near Ad Halom. On 3 June Modi Alon shot down two Egyptian C-47s that had bombed Tel Aviv, the first Israeli air victories. Aircraft came from wherever they could be bought: 25 S-199s from Czechoslovakia, about 60 Spitfires, B-17s, Mosquitoes, Beaufighters and Mustangs. Many aircrew were Mahal volunteers who had flown in the Second World War. Outcome Armistice agreements with Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria in 1949. Air-to-air claims from 1948 are mostly Israeli claims; individual figures were not checked against Arab records.
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| The Suez CrisisOperation KadeshIsraeli Air Force | 1956 | Egypt | P-51D, Mystère IVA, Ouraganand 2 more | — | 1 | |
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Opened the campaign, dropped paratroopers at the Mitla Pass and Et-Tur, attacked Egyptian forces and fought Egyptian jets. On 29 October 1956, at about 15:00, Mustangs attacked Egyptian positions across Sinai while transports dropped paratroopers deep behind Egyptian lines at the Mitla Pass. The Mystère IVA and Ouragan were the main jets. French naval aircraft gave direct support; Britain and France attacked Egypt’s air force from 31 October. Outcome Israel captured Sinai and later withdrew under international pressure. The air-combat loss figure counts only losses in air combat, not to ground fire.
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| The Six-Day WarOperation Focus (Moked)Israeli Air Force | 1967 | Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Iraq | Mirage IIICJ, Mystère IVA, Super Mystèreand 3 more | — | 46 | |
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Destroyed most of the Egyptian air force on the ground in the opening hours, then the Jordanian and Syrian air forces, and supported the ground war. At 07:45 on 5 June 1967 the air force under Maj. Gen. Mordechai Hod launched Operation Focus, sending all but 12 of its nearly 200 operational jets at low level against Egyptian airfields. Wikipedia’s account says the first wave destroyed 197 Egyptian aircraft and about 338 were destroyed on the first day. Israel claims 452 Arab aircraft destroyed during the whole war, 49 of them in air combat. Outcome Israeli air superiority from the first morning; Israel took Sinai, Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. Destruction figures are Israeli claims; no full independent count exists. The territories named are described in UN terms as occupied, a description Israel disputes for parts of them.
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| The War of AttritionOperation Rimon 20Israeli Air Force | 1967–1970 | Egypt and Soviet Union (advisers and pilots in Egypt) | F-4E, A-4, Mirage IIICJ | — | — | |
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Bombed Egyptian positions and, in January 1970, strategic targets deep inside Egypt; fought Egyptian and Soviet-flown fighters and Soviet-built SAM batteries. On 30 July 1970 Israel lured Soviet-flown MiG-21s into an ambush with 12 Mirage IIICs and four Phantoms. Five MiG-21s were shot down and four Soviet pilots were killed; one Mirage was damaged. Wikipedia says Israel planned the fight to show it would not tolerate direct Soviet involvement. Outcome Ceasefire of 7 August 1970. In Afterburner Operation Rimon 20: Israel’s Ambush of Soviet MiG Pilots
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| The Yom Kippur WarOctober WarIsraeli Air Force | 1973 | Egypt and Syria | F-4E, A-4, Mirage IIICJand 2 more | — | 102 | |
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Close support and interdiction against dense Egyptian and Syrian SAM belts, air defence, and strikes on airfields. Egypt and Syria attacked on 6 October 1973. The air force had expected to destroy air defences first, but the opening strike on Egyptian bases (Operation Tagar, 7 October) cost two Skyhawks and was broken off when the Syrian front became critical. Missile batteries shot down large numbers of aircraft in the first days. The United States replaced losses during the war, sending 36 Phantoms and 46 Skyhawks among other equipment. Outcome Ceasefire 22 October, fighting until 25 October 1973. In Afterburner Ofira Air Battle 1973: Two Israeli Phantoms Against 28 MiGs Kill and loss figures differ widely by side; Israeli figures are given here as Israeli figures.
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| Operation EntebbeOperation ThunderboltIsraeli Air Force (transport) | 1976 | Uganda Army and Hijackers | C-130 Hercules, Boeing 707 | 6 | 0 | |
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Flew commandos about 4,000 km to Entebbe and brought the hostages home, refuelling at Nairobi. On 27 June 1976 an Air France flight was hijacked and flown to Entebbe. On the night of 3–4 July four C-130s landed the assault force; the troops were on the ground for 53 minutes. The raid is the air force’s best-known transport mission. Outcome 102 of 106 hostages rescued. Ugandan casualty figures come from Wikipedia’s account and were not checked against Ugandan sources.
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| Operation OperaThe Osirak raidIsraeli Air Force | 1981 | Iraq | F-16A, F-15A | 14 | 0 | |
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Long-range strike on Iraq’s Osirak research reactor. The raid was flown on 7 June 1981 from Etzion at 15:55 local time. The pilots included the later astronaut Ilan Ramon. The United States voted for Resolution 487 but blocked punitive measures. Iraq called the raid aggression to deny Arab nuclear development. Scholars disagree whether it delayed Iraq’s programme or spurred a covert weapons programme. Outcome The reactor was destroyed. UN Security Council Resolution 487 of 19 June 1981 strongly condemned the attack. In Afterburner Operation Rimon 20: Israel’s Ambush of Soviet MiG Pilots Israel’s position was that the reactor was meant for weapons; Iraq’s that it was civilian. The Security Council condemned the raid.
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| The 1982 Lebanon WarOperation Mole Cricket 19Israeli Air Force | 1982 | Syria and PLO | F-15, F-16, F-4E (anti-radiation)and 2 more | 90 | 0 | |
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Destroyed the Syrian SAM network in the Bekaa and fought the Syrian air force over Lebanon. Operation Mole Cricket 19 on 9 June 1982 used drones to locate and provoke Syrian radars, decoys, airborne surveillance and anti-radiation missiles, followed by bombing. In the air battles of 9–11 June Israeli F-15s and F-16s claimed 82–86 Syrian aircraft. A Czech general later told the Israeli air force commander that the battle convinced the Soviets Western technology was superior, per Wikipedia. Outcome 29 of 30 batteries destroyed on 9 June; Israel claims 82–86 Syrian aircraft shot down. The Syrian aircraft figure is Israel’s claim; the Israeli loss figure Syria and the Soviet press gave is far higher.
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| The 2006 Lebanon WarSecond Lebanon WarIsraeli Air Force | 2006 | Hezbollah | F-15I, F-16I, F-16C/Dand 2 more | 12,000 | — | |
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Air campaign against Hezbollah. The air force flew more than 12,000 combat missions in the war with Hezbollah, per Wikipedia’s article on the service. Outcome Ended in a ceasefire in August 2006. Casualty figures were not checked for this entry and are not given. |
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| Operation OrchardAl Kibar strikeIsraeli Air Force | 2007 | Syria | F-15I, F-16I | — | 0 | |
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Destroyed a building at Al Kibar that Israel says was a nuclear reactor under construction. The raid was flown just after midnight on 6 September 2007. Syria called the site an empty military building under construction, later a missile or storage site. Wikipedia’s account says the IAEA confirmed in 2011 that it had been the covert site of a future reactor. Outcome Site destroyed; Israel acknowledged the operation on 21 March 2018. Reports that North Korean personnel were killed are allegations and are not repeated as fact. |
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| Gaza operations 2008–2021Cast Lead, Pillar of Defense, Protective Edge, Guardian of the WallsIsraeli Air Force | 2008–2021 | Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad | F-16, F-15, AH-64and 1 more | 2,360 | — | |
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Air strikes in repeated rounds of fighting with Hamas and other armed groups. From Operation Cast Lead in December 2008 to the May 2021 fighting, the air force carried the main weight of Israel’s campaigns in Gaza. Only the Cast Lead strike figure was confirmed in the sources checked. Outcome Each round ended in a ceasefire without a lasting settlement. Casualty figures from these wars are disputed between Israeli and Palestinian sources and UN bodies; they are not summarised here.
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| Strikes in SyriaThe campaign between the warsIsraeli Air Force | 2013–2024 | Syria, Iran and Hezbollah | F-16I, F-15I, F-35Iand 1 more | — | 1 | |
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Repeated strikes on Syrian, Iranian and Hezbollah targets in Syria. On 10 February 2018 an Apache shot down an Iranian drone that the IDF said had crossed from Syria. Eight F-16Is struck the Tiyas base it came from, and an F-16I was hit on the way back. The IDF said 12 retaliatory strikes destroyed nearly half of Syria’s air defences. Syria said its defences had thwarted Israeli aggression; Iran called the drone allegation ridiculous. The F-35 first saw combat in Israeli strikes in Syria in 2018. Outcome Ran until the fall of the Assad government in December 2024. Israel rarely confirms individual strikes; strike counts are not given.
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| The Gaza warSwords of IronIsraeli Air Force | 2023– | Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad | F-35I, F-15I, F-16Iand 3 more | — | — | |
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Air strikes throughout the war that followed the Hamas-led attack of 7 October 2023; Wikipedia says the air force has had a main role. On 26 January 2024 the International Court of Justice, in South Africa’s case under the Genocide Convention, ordered provisional measures against Israel, adding further orders on 28 March and 24 May 2024; the case is in its written phase. A UN Commission of Inquiry concluded in September 2025 that four of the five acts defined in the Genocide Convention had been committed. Israel and the United States reject the genocide charge. The ICC issued arrest warrants in November 2024. Outcome Ceasefire from 19 January 2025, then a ceasefire under a US-backed plan from 10 October 2025; OCHA still reported strikes and deaths in September 2026. Every casualty figure here is attributed. Israel disputes the Gaza Health Ministry figures and the UN findings.
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| Strikes in LebanonOperation Northern Arrows, New OrderIsraeli Air Force | 2023– | Hezbollah | F-15I, F-16I, F-35I | — | — | |
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Air strikes on Hezbollah after cross-border fire began on 8 October 2023, escalating from 23 September 2024; resumed in 2026. On 27 September 2024 F-15Is struck Hezbollah’s headquarters under residential buildings in Haret Hreik, Beirut, killing Hassan Nasrallah; two officials told reporters more than 80 bombs were dropped. Hezbollah confirmed his death the next day. Outcome Ceasefire from 27 November 2024; fighting resumed on 2 March 2026. Lebanese figures include civilians and fighters together; Israel says it strikes Hezbollah targets.
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| Strikes in YemenOperation Outstretched ArmIsraeli Air Force | 2024–2025 | Houthis (Ansar Allah) | F-15I, F-16I, F-35Iand 1 more | — | — | |
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Long-range strikes on Houthi-held ports, power stations, Sanaa airport and leadership after Houthi missile and drone attacks on Israel. The first strike, on 20 July 2024, hit Hodeidah’s port and oil facilities a day after a Houthi drone struck Tel Aviv. Later strikes hit Sanaa International Airport, destroying Yemenia airliners in May 2025. Outcome Ongoing as of the latest reports checked. Houthi and Israeli accounts of targets differ; Israel describes the ports and airport as used for Houthi military supply.
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| Strikes in Syria after the fall of AssadOperation Bashan ArrowIsraeli Air Force and Israeli Navy | 2024– | — | F-15, F-16, F-35I | 480 | — | |
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Strikes on Syrian military stocks, air bases, air defences, naval vessels and chemical weapons sites after the Assad government fell on 8 December 2024. Israel said it acted to keep weapons from hostile hands. Syria’s new president Ahmed al-Sharaa said Syria would not be drawn into another war and demanded Israeli withdrawal, and the UN Secretary-General’s spokesman said the Israelis need to withdraw. The Arab League condemned the moves. Outcome The IDF said 70–80 per cent of Syria’s strategic weapons were destroyed; Israeli troops moved into the UNDOF buffer zone. IDF figures are the IDF’s own.
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| Exchanges with Iran, 2024Operation Days of RepentanceIsraeli Air Force | 2024 | Iran | F-35I, F-15, F-16I | 100 | 0 | |
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Intercepted Iranian drones and missiles in April and October and struck Iran on 19 April and 26 October 2024. On 1 April 2024 a strike widely attributed to Israel hit an Iranian consular building in Damascus, killing 16 including Quds Force commander Mohammad Reza Zahedi; Iran retaliated on 13 April and Israel struck near Isfahan on 19 April. After Iran fired about 180–200 missiles on 1 October, the air force flew about 2,000 km on 26 October to strike air defences and missile plants, including solid-fuel mixers. Outcome Iranian state media called the damage limited to moderate. Iran called its attacks retaliation; Israel described its strikes as a response to Iranian attacks.
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| The Twelve-Day WarOperation Rising LionIsraeli Air Force | 2025 | Iran | F-35I, F-15I, F-16Iand 1 more | 200 | 2 | |
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Strikes on Iranian nuclear, missile and military targets and leaders, and defence against Iranian missiles and drones. The war began on 13 June 2025 with five waves of Israeli air strikes. Israel said it acted against Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes; Iran called the attacks aggression and answered with missiles and drones. Outcome Ceasefire of 24 June 2025, after US strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites on 22 June. All figures attributed; Iranian aircraft-kill claims were not supported by evidence found.
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| The 2026 Iran warOperation Roaring LionIsraeli Air Force | 2026 | Iran and Hezbollah | F-35I, F-15I, F-16Iand 2 more | 200 | — | |
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Joint campaign with the United States against Iran from 28 February 2026, and renewed fighting with Hezbollah. Initial US–Israeli strikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other officials, per Wikipedia. Outgoing commander Tomer Bar said in May 2026 that the air force had fought Iran shoulder to shoulder with the number one superpower. Outcome A Pakistani-brokered ceasefire began on 8 April and a memorandum was signed on 17 June 2026; Wikipedia records that the US–Iran ceasefire collapsed on 8 July. The situation at the end of September 2026 was not confirmed. The 23 aircraft figure may include drones; it was not confirmed by the IDF. Every casualty figure is attributed.
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Nothing matches that search.
Every figure, checked
- Times of Israel: At handover ceremony, outgoing Air Force chief calls for external Oct. 7 inquiry (5 May 2026)Bar to Tischler handover.
- International Court of Justice: South Africa v. Israel (case 192)Provisional measures orders of 26 January, 28 March and 24 May 2024.
- UN OCHA oPt: Humanitarian Situation Report, 25 September 2026Gaza deaths since the October 2025 ceasefire, per Gaza Ministry of Health.
- Airwars: Israel and Gaza 2023Incidents of alleged civilian harm.
Figures verified 2026-10-01. Back to the Israeli Air Force.