Air force expansion propels Israel to a major military power

Israel's Ministry of Defense approved acquisition of a fourth F-35 squadron and a second F-15IA squadron on May 3, bringing Israel's total F-35 fleet to 100 aircraft across four squadrons—positioning it as a global leader in fifth-generation fighter deployment per capita. The expansion reflects lessons from the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack and subsequent multi-front conflict, shifting Israeli defense strategy from lean, technology-focused forces toward sustained conventional military capacity across air, ground, and naval domains.