Editing Israeli Air Force (section)

===Operations in Gaza===
[[File:Oferet-Yetzuka-F16I.jpg|thumb|Israeli Air Force [[F-16I Sufa]] preparing for take off to strike Hamas targets, during [[Operation Cast Lead]] (2008-2009).]]
Since [[Battle of Gaza (2007)|Hamas' takeover of Gaza]] in 2007, the Israeli Air Force has taken part in repeated bouts of violence between Israel and the Hamas-held Gaza Strip. In December 2008, the IAF spearheaded [[Operation Cast Lead]], carrying out more than 2,360 air strikes. It had a principal role in destroying [[Hamas]] targets, and killed several senior Hamas commanders, including [[Said Seyam]],<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.haaretz.com/news/profile-slain-hamas-minister-was-key-figure-in-07-gaza-coup-1.268241 | type = profile | title = Slain Hamas minister was key figure in '07 Gaza coup | newspaper = Ha'aretz | date = January 15, 2009 | access-date = January 6, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121021060117/http://www.haaretz.com/news/profile-slain-hamas-minister-was-key-figure-in-07-gaza-coup-1.268241 | archive-date = October 21, 2012 | url-status = live }}.</ref> [[Nizar Rayan]],<ref name="ICT0209">{{cite news |url= http://www.ict.org.il/Articles/tabid/66/Articlsid/590/currentpage/1/ |title= The Mujaheed Sheikh – Dr. Nizar Rayyan The Spiritual Mentor of Iz A-Din Al Qassam Brigades |last= Fighel |first= Jonathan |date= February 1, 2009 |publisher= [[International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism]] |access-date= May 31, 2009 |archive-date= February 14, 2023 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230214220706/https://www.ict.org.il/Articles/tabid/66/Articlsid/590/currentpage/1/ }}</ref> [[Tawfik Jaber]],<ref>{{Citation | newspaper = Israel national news | url = http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/129062 | title = Peres: 'Anyone Asking Israel to Stop Shooting, Change Address' | date = December 28, 2008 | access-date = January 6, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120314194607/http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/129062 | archive-date = March 14, 2012 | url-status = live }}.</ref> and Abu Zakaria al-Jamal.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.eagleworldnews.com/2009/01/03/hamas-commander-abu-zakaria-al-jamal-killed/ | title = Hamas Commander Abu Zakaria al-Jamal Killed | newspaper = Eagle World News | date = January 3, 2009 | access-date = January 6, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110718143616/http://www.eagleworldnews.com/2009/01/03/hamas-commander-abu-zakaria-al-jamal-killed/ | archive-date = July 18, 2011 }}.</ref>

According to a [[CBS News|CBS news]] report, in January 2009 Israeli planes [[2009 Sudan air raids|struck a convoy of trucks]] in Sudan headed for [[Egypt]] and carrying weapons apparently meant for the [[Gaza Strip]]. Seventeen trucks were bombed, and thirty-nine smugglers were killed in the strike.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3692507,00.html |title = Report: IAF struck arms convoy in Sudan in January |date = March 26, 2009 |work = Ynet |access-date = March 26, 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090329045918/http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3692507,00.html |archive-date = March 29, 2009 |url-status = live }}</ref> On April 5, 2011, a car driving from [[Port Sudan Airport]] to [[Port Sudan]] was [[2009 Sudan airstrikes#Further strikes|destroyed]] by a missile. Both passengers were killed. one of whom may have been a senior Hamas military commander. The Sudanese Foreign Minister blamed the attack on Israel.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sudan-strike-idUSTRE73523V20110406|title=Sudan accuses Israel of attack near main port city|date=April 6, 2011|first1=Deepa|last1=Babington|first2=Khaled|last2=Abdelaziz|work=Reuters|access-date=July 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924152243/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/06/us-sudan-strike-idUSTRE73523V20110406|archive-date=September 24, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Sudanese newspapers reported that Israeli aircraft attacked Gaza-bound arms convoys again in late 2011.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/reports-in-sudan-israel-struck-two-weapons-convoys-in-past-month-1.403521 | title = Reports in Sudan: Israel struck two weapons convoys in past month | newspaper = Ha'aretz | date = December 25, 2011 | access-date = February 26, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120214022709/http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/reports-in-sudan-israel-struck-two-weapons-convoys-in-past-month-1.403521 | archive-date = February 14, 2012 | url-status = live | last1 = Issacharoff | first1 = Avi | last2 = Harel | first2 = Amos }}.</ref> On October 24, 2012, Sudan claimed that Israel had [[Yarmouk munitions factory explosion|bombed a munitions factory]] south of Khartoum.<ref name="aj25">{{cite news |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/10/20121024142531802810.html |publisher=Al Jazeera |date=25 October 2012 |access-date=October 25, 2012 |title=Khartoum fire blamed on Israeli bombing |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025202125/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/10/20121024142531802810.html |archive-date=October 25, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/sudan/9631769/Israeli-jets-bombed-weapons-factory-in-Khartoum-Sudan-claims.html| title=Israeli jets 'bombed weapons factory in Khartoum', Sudan claims| date=24 Oct 2012| access-date=November 20, 2012| newspaper=The Daily Telegraph| location=London| first=David| last=Blair| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102113713/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/sudan/9631769/Israeli-jets-bombed-weapons-factory-in-Khartoum-Sudan-claims.html| archive-date=November 2, 2012| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Citation | title = Israeli Sudanese factory secret war | date = 2010-10-25 | url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/25/israeli-sudanese-factory-secret-war | newspaper = The Guardian | location = London, [[United Kingdom|UK]] | first = Ian | last = Black | access-date = December 17, 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170118063826/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/25/israeli-sudanese-factory-secret-war | archive-date = January 18, 2017 | url-status = live }}.</ref>

The Israeli Air Force also operates surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery units. Since 1990 their primary role has been the interception of surface-to-surface missiles and rockets fired into Israel. In 2011 the IAF began operating the '[[Iron Dome]]' anti-rocket missile system, which within a year had successfully intercepted and destroyed 93 rockets fired at Israeli towns from Gaza.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.idf.il/1283-15558-en/Dover.aspx | title = IDF | place = [[Israel|IL]] | access-date = May 7, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121017192303/http://www.idf.il/1283-15558-en/Dover.aspx | archive-date = October 17, 2012 | url-status = live }}.</ref>

In November 2012, the IAF participated in [[Operation Pillar of Defense]], during which, according to the [[IDF Spokesperson]], Israeli forces targeted more than 1,500 military sites in Gaza Strip, including rocket launching pads, smuggling tunnels, command centers, and weapons manufacturing and storage facilities. Many of these attacks were carried out by the Air Force.<ref name="IdfOfficialSummary">{{cite web | url= http://www.idfblog.com/2012/11/22/operation-pillar-of-defense-summary-of-events/ | title= Operation Pillar of Defense: Summary of Events | publisher= IDF | date= 2012-11-22 | type= [[World Wide Web]] log | access-date= November 24, 2012 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170417122742/https://www.idfblog.com/2012/11/22/operation-pillar-of-defense-summary-of-events/ | archive-date= April 17, 2017 }}</ref>

Between July 8 and August 5, 2014, the IAF participated in [[Operation Protective Edge]], during which, according to the IDF Spokesperson, Israeli forces targeted 4,762 terror sites across the Gaza Strip, including rocket launching sites, command and control centers, military administration facilities, weapons storage and manufacturing facilities and training and military compounds.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.idfblog.com/blog/2014/08/05/operation-protective-edge-numbers/ | title= Operation Protective Edge by the Numbers | publisher= IDF | date= 2014-08-05 | access-date= August 17, 2014 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140811101934/http://www.idfblog.com/blog/2014/08/05/operation-protective-edge-numbers/ | archive-date= August 11, 2014 | url-status= live }}</ref>

In May 2021, Israeli artillery and air force carried out 1,500 strikes on Gaza during [[Operation Guardian of the Walls]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Sam|last=Sokol|url=http://www.haaretz.com/misc/article-print-page/.premium.HIGHLIGHT-11-days-4-340-rockets-and-261-dead-the-israel-gaza-fighting-in-numbers-1.9836041|title=11 Days, 4,340 Rockets and 261 Dead: The Israel-Gaza Fighting in Numbers|work=Haaretz|date=23 May 2021|url-access=limited|access-date=May 26, 2021|archive-date=May 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210524122432/http://www.haaretz.com/misc/article-print-page/.premium.HIGHLIGHT-11-days-4-340-rockets-and-261-dead-the-israel-gaza-fighting-in-numbers-1.9836041|url-status=live}}</ref> Starting in October 2023, the Israeli Air Force fulfilled a main role in the [[Gaza war]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Israel's military campaign in Gaza seen as among the most destructive in recent history, experts say |url=https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-bombs-destruction-death-toll-scope-419488c511f83c85baea22458472a796 |website=AP News |language=en |date=21 December 2023}}</ref>