Editing Gloster Meteor (section)

===Israel===
[[File:Meteor IAF 1954.jpg|thumb|[[Israeli Air Force]] Meteor in 1954]]
Due to tensions between the newly formed nation of Israel and its neighbours, both sides had commenced an arms race which led to jet aircraft being vigorously purchased by various countries in the region. In 1953 Israel ordered four ''T Mk.7''s and 11 ''F Mk.8''s, with delivery continuing until early 1954. The ''F Mk.8''s were modified to carry American HVAR rockets but were otherwise identical to RAF aircraft.<ref name="ae50 p39-0">Aloni ''Air Enthusiast'' Fifty, pp. 39–40.</ref> A second batch of seven refurbished ''FR Mk.9''s and two more ''T Mk.7''s was delivered in 1955.<ref name="ae50 p42">Aloni ''Air Enthusiast'' Fifty, p. 42.</ref> In 1956, Israel purchased six NF Mk.13s, with three delivered that year, and the remaining three, delayed by an arms embargo, in 1958.<ref name="ae50 p44">Aloni ''Air Enthusiast'' Fifty, p. 44.</ref> Five more T Mk.7s were later purchased, these were converted from ex-Belgian ''F Mk.4''s and were fitted with the Mk.8 tail.<ref name="ae50 p47">Aloni ''Air Enthusiast'' Fifty, p. 47.</ref><ref>Jabber 1981, p. 112.</ref>

On 1 September 1955, an Israeli Meteor shot down an Egyptian [[de Havilland Vampire]], the first jet aircraft to be shot down in the theatre.<ref>Aloni 2001, p. 23.</ref> The Meteor played a key role during the Suez Crisis; on 28 October 1956, an Israeli NF.13 took part in [[Operation Tarnegol]], in which it successfully located and shot down an Egyptian [[Ilyushin Il-14]] that had been carrying several high-ranking Egyptian military officers on the eve of the crisis.<ref>Yonay 1993, pp. 161–163.</ref> The operation had intended to shoot down the Il-14 that was supposed to be carrying the supreme commander of the Egyptian armed forces, [[Abdel Hakim Amer]], however a different aircraft had been inadvertently attacked and destroyed instead.<ref name = "aloni 24">Aloni 2001, p. 24.</ref> After deploying paratroopers east of the Suez Canal, the [[Israeli Air Force]] continued to support them on the ground predominantly using its jet aircraft, fearing its propeller-driven aircraft would be vulnerable against Egypt's jet fighters.<ref name = "aloni 24"/>

While initially flying [[combat air patrol]] missions, the Meteors and other Israeli aircraft could not prevent effective attacks by Egyptian aircraft on the ground forces.<ref name = "aloni 24"/> Israeli officers came to recognise that the Meteor was outclassed by Egyptian MiG-15s, and subsequently limited the Meteor's employment as a fighter against other aerial adversaries.{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}} Following the start of the Anglo-French bombing campaign against Egyptian airbases, the Egyptian Air Force mostly withdrew from combat in the Sinai, allowing Israeli aircraft to operate unhindered.<ref name = "aloni 24"/>

The Mk.8s remained in front line service until 1956, and were then used as training aircraft. The NF Mk.13s remained in operational use until 1962.<ref name="ae50 p47-8">Aloni ''Air Enthusiast'' Fifty, p. 47–48.</ref>