Israel buys F-35, F-15 squadrons as Lebanon strikes kill 2,659
Last updated: 20:01 UTC, May 04 2026 | Started: 2026-05-04 18:01 | 3 update(s) | Avg confidence: 78/100
The story so far: The 2026 Iran war began on February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran targeting military infrastructure and leadership, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran retaliated with missiles and drones across the region and closed the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global trade. Hezbollah simultaneously escalated in Lebanon, drawing Israel into the 2026 Lebanon war; a nominal ceasefire brokered by the US in April 2026 has repeatedly been violated by Israeli strikes.
Latest Updates
2026-05-04 20:01 — Israel buys F-35, F-15 squadrons as Lebanon strikes kill 2,659
Israel's Ministerial Committee on Procurement approved the purchase of a fourth F-35I Adir squadron and a second F-15IA squadron from Lockheed Martin and Boeing respectively, with the scope described as 'tens of billions of shekels,' Defense Minister Israel Katz and IMOD Director General Amir Baram confirmed in an official ministry statement on May 3, 2026.
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2026-05-04 19:01 — Israeli Navy claims 154 attacks in 47-day Iran-Hezbollah war
The Israeli Navy disclosed on April 16, 2026 that it had conducted or provided critical intelligence for 154 attacks in only 47 days of the current war with Iran and Hezbollah, with over 1,000 naval combat soldiers logging more than 26,000 operational hours, according to the Jerusalem Post citing IDF statements.
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2026-05-04 18:01 — Israel's Katz warns Iran strikes may resume as ceasefire frays
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared on April 30 at a military ceremony that Israel may 'soon have to act again' against Iran, warning that the campaign is not complete and that Trump and Netanyahu are coordinating to ensure Iran 'does not once again become a threat to Israel, the United States and the free world,' according to statements from his office reported by Al Arabiya and Times of Israel.
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What We Know
- Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared on April 30 at a military ceremony that Israel may 'soon have to act again' against Iran, warning that the campaign is not complete and that Trump and Netanyahu are coordinating to ensure Iran 'does not once again become a threat to Israel, the United States and the free world,' according to statements from his office reported by Al Arabiya and Times of Israel.
- Israel's Defense Ministry simultaneously announced a major military resupply surge — two cargo ships and multiple transport aircraft delivering roughly 6,500 tons of munitions, vehicles and combat equipment to Ashdod and Haifa within 24 hours, with total deliveries since February 28 exceeding 115,600 tons across 403 flights and 10 maritime shipments, according to The Bullet citing Israeli defense ministry data.
- On April 23, Katz had stated more explicitly that Israel was awaiting a 'green light from the United States' to strike Iran's new leadership and energy infrastructure, with targets already identified, according to VINnews and Voice of Emirates citing attributed statements.
- A conditional ceasefire was declared on April 8 after 40 days of fighting that killed 24 civilians in Israel from 650 Iranian missile strikes, while causing thousands of deaths in Iran and Lebanon and displacing millions across the region, according to Wikipedia citing Israeli and Lebanese sources.
- CSIS analysts published on May 4 a warning that US agencies are tracking Iranian cyber threats to critical infrastructure, noting that 'as kinetic war wages overseas, the homeland remains exposed,' underscoring the conflict's expanding threat surface beyond the Middle East.
- The Israeli Navy disclosed on April 16, 2026 that it had conducted or provided critical intelligence for 154 attacks in only 47 days of the current war with Iran and Hezbollah, with over 1,000 naval combat soldiers logging more than 26,000 operational hours, according to the Jerusalem Post citing IDF statements.
- Of 95 attacks inside Iran, 68 were carried out by US forces based entirely on Israeli naval intelligence, and 27 were executed solely by the Israeli Air Force acting on Israeli naval intelligence, the IDF said.
- On April 1, an Israeli Navy strike in Beirut killed Hajj Yusuf Ismail Hashem, commander of Hezbollah's Southern Front; Hezbollah confirmed his death and called it their harshest loss since November 2025, according to Wikipedia's 2026 Lebanon war article citing multiple reports.
- The Israeli Navy also struck 53 targets in Lebanon during the current war — including 35 general attacks, 18 senior targeted assassinations, and six special forces operations — and six targets in Gaza, according to the Jerusalem Post.
- As of May 4, a 'dual blockade' is in effect: the US Navy has been blockading Iran since April 13, while Iran is blockading the Persian Gulf; on May 3 Trump announced US action to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and on May 4 Iran's military warned against US entry, according to Wikipedia's 2026 Iran war article.
- Israel's Ministerial Committee on Procurement approved the purchase of a fourth F-35I Adir squadron and a second F-15IA squadron from Lockheed Martin and Boeing respectively, with the scope described as 'tens of billions of shekels,' Defense Minister Israel Katz and IMOD Director General Amir Baram confirmed in an official ministry statement on May 3, 2026.
- Defense Minister Israel Katz stated the procurement was driven by 'operational lessons learned from the campaign against Iran [that] require us to accelerate our force buildup,' linking the purchase directly to combat experience from the 2026 Iran war, according to The War Zone.
- Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed at least 41 people in 24 hours as of May 2, raising the total death toll since March 2 to 2,659 dead and 8,183 injured, Lebanon's Ministry of Health reported, with Al Jazeera and AP confirming the figures.
- The strikes continued in violation of a US-brokered ceasefire that began April 17 and was extended to mid-May; Al Jazeera's correspondent in Beirut said the ceasefire 'exists in name only' with warfare 'expanding' in the south, a characterisation echoed by China's UN envoy Fu Cong who described it as a 'lesser fire' rather than a real ceasefire.
- The fighter jet procurement is the first concrete step in Israel's 'Magen Israel' force-buildup plan, a 350 billion shekel ($119 billion) program approved by PM Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz covering the next decade, with the IMOD delegation in Washington authorised to finalise contracts with US government counterparts 'in the near future,' the ministry said.
Still Unclear
- Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz; Jewish Institute for National Security of America analysis: Iran has been devastated — set back 'years in all areas' — and its missile capability has been largely destroyed, with US-Israeli forces eliminating up to three-quarters of Iranian missile launchers.
Pravda USA citing unnamed Western experts; Pentagon statement cited by Middle East Monitor: Iran has retained up to 70% of its missiles and up to 40% of its strike drones, and has used the ceasefire to replenish arsenals; multiple Western experts say Iran's military has not been destroyed.
- UK House of Commons Library briefing citing President Trump: Iran's new leadership has accepted regime change has occurred and Trump says it is a new government, though he distrusts it.
Wikipedia citing Iranian state media and government statements: Iran denied that the talks Trump referenced ever took place, called him 'deceitful,' and rejected the US 15-point peace plan.
- (Unverified — single source; aggregator citing unnamed Western experts; not independently corroborated by Tier-1 or Tier-2 outlet) Iran has retained up to 70% of its missiles and up to 40% of its impact drones and is using the truce to replenish stockpiles. [Pravda USA]
- (Unverified — single aggregator source; date has passed without confirmed resumption; not corroborated) Israel hopes the ceasefire will end as early as April 26, with the US allegedly setting this deadline. [Pravda USA]
- (Unverified — anonymous diplomatic sources; Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari explicitly denied Qatar joined any campaign targeting Iran) Qatar struck Iranian targets after Iran attempted to hit Doha airport; Qatar shot down two Iranian Su-24 bombers. [The Jerusalem Post citing Western diplomats and Channel 12]
- Wikipedia, 2026 Iran war article: Iran announced commercial shipping would be allowed through the Hormuz strait during the April 8 ceasefire period.
Wikipedia, 2026 Iran war article (updated May 4, 2026): Iran re-imposed Hormuz restrictions when the US refused to lift its naval blockade, and the Iranian military on May 4 warned the US against entering the strait.
- (Unverified — single source — IDF self-reporting, not independently corroborated by a second Tier-1 or Tier-2 source) The Israeli Navy destroyed 15 out of 21 Syrian naval ships at Latakia and Tel Baida within a few hours in December 2024; the remaining six could not be struck for undisclosed reasons. [Jerusalem Post (citing IDF Navy briefing, April 16, 2026)]
- (Unverified — single source — IDF self-reporting; US DoD has not publicly confirmed this attribution) Israeli naval intelligence was the sole basis for 68 US strikes inside Iran during the 2026 war. [Jerusalem Post (citing IDF Navy briefing, April 16, 2026)]
- Pakistan Foreign Ministry, reported by Wikipedia/multiple outlets: Pakistan stated Lebanon was included in the April 2026 Iran war ceasefire, temporarily halting hostilities in both theatres.
Israeli Prime Minister's Office; US officials, per multiple reports: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Washington both denied that Lebanon was included in the Iran war ceasefire.
- Israel Defense Forces official statement: Israel says its strikes in Lebanon exclusively target Hezbollah 'terror targets,' claiming at least 250 militants killed in 100 airstrikes on April 8.
Lebanon Ministry of Health; Al Jazeera; Doctors Without Borders; UN Secretary-General António Guterres: Lebanese officials, local observers, and international organisations say many of the dead are civilians, with hospitals flooded and strikes hitting civilian areas including a cemetery during a funeral.
- (Unverified — single source; Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari explicitly denied Qatar joined any campaign targeting Iran) Qatar struck Iran after Iran attempted to hit Doha's airport and shot down two Iranian Su-24 bombers. [The Jerusalem Post citing Western diplomats and Channel 12]
Key Figures
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Total Iranian missile strikes on Israel since February 28 through April 8 ceasefire | 650 strikes | Wikipedia citing Israeli and Lebanese sources |
| Israeli civilian deaths from Iranian missile strikes on Israel | 24 killed; over 7,000 injured | Wikipedia citing Israeli sources |
| Total military resupply delivered to Israel since Operation Roaring Lion began February 28 | 115,600 tons via 403 flights and 10 maritime shipments | Israeli Defense Ministry, cited by The Bullet |
| US military targets cumulatively destroyed in Iran by the combined US-Israeli force | Nearly 2,000 targets, 19 ships, 1 submarine | US CENTCOM, cited in Wikipedia timeline |
| People displaced in Lebanon following Israeli military operations tied to the 2026 conflict | More than 1,100,000 by late March 2026 | Britannica citing Israeli and Lebanese sources |
| Israeli Navy attacks conducted or enabled in 47 days of the 2026 Iran-Hezbollah war | 154 attacks | IDF Navy, cited by Jerusalem Post, April 16, 2026 |
| Israeli naval combat soldiers deployed at sea during the war | 1,000+ | IDF Navy, cited by Jerusalem Post, April 16, 2026 |
| Operational hours logged by Israeli Navy in 47 days | 26,000+ | IDF Navy, cited by Jerusalem Post, April 16, 2026 |
| Drop in commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz after conflict outbreak | More than 90% | Britannica, 2026 Iran war entry |
| Damage to US military bases from Iranian strikes in first two weeks of war | $800 million | Wikipedia, 2026 Iran war article, citing unnamed US officials |
| Iranian missile and drone attacks on Israel recorded by ACLED in first five days (Feb 28–Mar 4) | 90+ attempted strikes | ACLED Middle East Special Issue, March 2026 |
| Total killed in Lebanon since March 2, 2026 | 2,659 dead, 8,183 injured | Lebanon Ministry of Health, via Al Jazeera and AP, May 2, 2026 |
| Killed in Lebanon in single 24-hour period ending May 2, 2026 | 41 | Lebanon Ministry of Health |
| Value of Israel's 10-year 'Magen Israel' military buildup programme | 350 billion shekels (~$119 billion USD) | Israeli Defense Ministry official statement, May 3, 2026 |
| Displaced persons in Lebanon since outbreak of 2026 war | Over 1 million registered displaced | Al Jazeera, May 2, 2026 |
| Children killed or injured in Lebanon since March 2, 2026 | At least 600 | UNICEF, via Al Jazeera |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Israel still at war with Iran in May 2026?
A conditional ceasefire was declared on April 8, 2026, after 40 days of fighting. However, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on April 30 that Israel may 'soon' resume strikes, and Israel has been receiving large-scale military resupply. The war is not formally over and talks remain stalled.
What triggered the 2026 Israel-Iran war?
On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran — codenamed Operation Epic Fury — killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and targeting nuclear, missile, and command infrastructure. The strikes came after the collapse of US-Iran nuclear negotiations, according to the UK House of Commons Library and Britannica.
How has the 2026 Iran war affected global oil and shipping?
Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz following the initial strikes, disrupting global trade and causing fuel shortages. The US Navy began blockading ships docked at Iranian ports on April 13. CSIS analysts assessed on May 4 that Iran is leveraging the Strait to raise global costs while betting it can outlast US political will.
What has the Israeli Navy done in the 2026 Iran war?
The Israeli Navy has conducted or enabled 154 strikes across Iran, Lebanon, Gaza, and Yemen in the first 47 days of the conflict, including providing the targeting intelligence for 68 US strikes inside Iran, according to an IDF briefing reported by the Jerusalem Post on April 16, 2026.
Is the Strait of Hormuz open or closed in May 2026?
As of May 4, 2026, a 'dual blockade' is in effect: the US Navy has blockaded Iran since April 13 to prevent ships from Iranian ports transiting the strait, while Iran has blockaded the Persian Gulf. Trump announced on May 3 the US would move to reopen the strait, prompting Iran's military to issue a warning against US entry on May 4.
What started the 2026 Israel-Iran war?
On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran, codenamed Operation Roaring Lion and Operation Epic Fury respectively, targeting Iran's nuclear programme, ballistic missiles, and military infrastructure. The strikes followed the collapse of US-Iran nuclear negotiations in February 2026 and killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Why is Israel buying new F-35 and F-15 fighter jets now?
Defense Minister Israel Katz explicitly cited 'operational lessons learned from the campaign against Iran' as the driver. The purchase — a fourth F-35I and a second F-15IA squadron from Lockheed Martin and Boeing — is the first step in a $119 billion decade-long buildup plan. The IAF's existing fleet has been under severe operational strain since October 2023.
Is there a ceasefire in Lebanon and is it holding?
A US-brokered 10-day ceasefire declared April 17 was extended to mid-May, but Al Jazeera's Beirut correspondent described it as existing 'in name only.' Israeli strikes have continued daily, killing 41 in one 24-hour period. China's UN envoy called it a 'lesser fire,' not a real ceasefire, as China assumed the rotating UN Security Council presidency.
What is the 2026 Lebanon war and how does it connect to the Iran conflict?
The 2026 Lebanon war is an outgrowth of the broader 2026 Iran conflict that began February 28 when the US and Israel launched nearly 900 strikes on Iran in 12 hours. Hezbollah, as Iran's principal regional proxy, escalated attacks on Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, prompting Israel's ground incursion and ongoing airstrikes that have now killed over 2,600 people.
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