Israeli Air Force says it dropped 135,000 bombs in recent wars, warns of Syrian military rebuild

The Israeli Air Force has revealed the staggering scale of its operations, announcing that it dropped a total of 135,000 bombs across various fronts since October 7, 2023. This figure includes 23,860 attacks specifically requested by IDF Ground Forces for immediate assistance during operations in Gaza and Lebanon.

This period has marked a radical transformation in how the air force conducts warfare. It is now fully integrated with ground forces, providing critical air support within seconds or minutes, a stark contrast to the hours it once took. The proximity limits for engaging enemy targets have been progressively lowered, allowing for attacks closer to IDF Ground Forces, facilitated by drones and helicopters capable of flying at lower altitudes.

A significant strategic shift has been the establishment of a new unit dedicated to countering enemy ground-force invasions, a capability that did not exist prior to October 7. While some former air force chiefs reportedly oppose this change, current air force sources maintain that the decision to embrace border defense was the correct one.

Furthermore, the air force has radically altered its mission scope, now operating freely across the Middle East, including over hostile territories like Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq, en route to attacking Iran. In recent years, the air force has achieved complete air supremacy over Iran without losing a single pilot-manned aircraft, though several drones were lost. The air force also reported performing 2,865 evacuations of wounded soldiers.