Veterans of the IDF’s ground arm have consistently lobbied for more armour, infantry and artillery units and less reliance on the Israeli Air Force. Their call for sending ground divisions across the border, rather than relying upon fighter planes and UAV’s bombing targets from above, was finally answered in the Gaza War.
Nevertheless, the IAF does remain essential in this campaign; in targeting tunnels and headquarters, providing close air support to the troops below, deterring other enemies, intercepting missiles and UAVs, not to mention being the weapon of choice should Israel be forced to take the fight far from its own borders, namely from Iran to Yemen.
So is the IAF still as vital an asset to Israel’s defense as it has been in times past?
