Israel's air force is carrying out a relentless air campaign against Hamas that relies heavily on the US-built jets that make up its fighter fleet.
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) flies the F-15, F-35, and F-16 fighter jets that have been launching airstrikes in the Gaza Strip since the October 7, 2023, terror attacks on Israel by Hamas militants. The air campaign has reduced wide sections of the territory to rubble and accounts for much of the human suffering of the 22,400 Palestinians killed and 57,600 injured.
The US has given Israel, a close US ally in the Middle East, more military support and aid than any other foreign country since World War II. There's bipartisan support to send additional aid to Israel, and the Biden administration was quick to send military support in the wake of the terror attacks.
However, lawmakers are in disagreement about how much to send, especially amid rising concerns over Palestinian civilian casualties, injuries, and displacements since the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched unprecedented attacks in Gaza, largely carried out by weapons and munitions provided by the US government.
In November 2023, Congress approved a bill to send $14.3 billion in emergency aid to Israel, on top of the military support it provided shortly after the October 7 attacks, including munitions, aircraft carriers, and fighter jets.
Alongside its destructive air campaign in Gaza, the Israeli military is also trading fire with Iran-backed militants in Lebanon. Israeli fighter jets targeted Hezbollah hideouts in southern Lebanon, claiming that it was in response to Israeli civilians being injured by anti-tank missiles. The IDF also launched an attack on an area they said was a "terrorist cell embedded in a civilian area in Lebanon that intended to open fire toward Israeli territory."
Here's a look at Israel's versions of these powerful warplanes.