[UPDATE-May 3, 2026-Israel-Iran War] Gaza-Hamas, Lebanon-Hezbollah, Syria: Real Time Reaction and Analysis

Israel approves purchase from US of 2 more squadrons of F-35I and F-15IA fighter jets Israel will procure two more squadrons of F-35I and F-15IA fighter jets, following lessons learned from the recent Iran war, the Defense Ministry announces. Over the weekend, Israel’s Ministerial Committee on Procurement approved a Defense Ministry plan to acquire a fourth F-35I squadron from Lockheed Martin, and a second F-15IA squadron from Boeing, in deals that are valued at tens of billions of shekels. The ministry says the jets “will serve as a cornerstone of the IDF’s long-term force development, addressing evolving regional threats and…