Dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets, accompanied by aerial refuelling aircraft, flew as far as the Iranian border on Monday before turning back and returning to Israel, Axios reported on Wednesday, citing US and Israeli officials. The aircraft travelled more than 800 miles (about 1,280 km) from Israel through Syrian and Iraqi airspace, following a route consistent with a potential strike on Iran, and did not enter Iranian airspace, according to the Axios report.

Israel notified the United States in advance and described the sortie as a training exercise intended to demonstrate 'power projection' and deter Iran from attacking Israel ahead of Israel's October 27 parliamentary election, Axios reported. US officials said Israel knew Iranian air defence systems would detect the jets. Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst also reported on Tuesday that Israeli fighter jets had conducted drills during which they flew over Syria and Iraq, the Jerusalem Post's live coverage noted.

What the flight was meant to achieve is contested. Some US sources told Axios they had the impression Israel hoped Iran would fire at the aircraft, potentially providing a justification for renewed strikes on Iran — that is those sources' assessment of Israel's intent, not an established fact. Other US and Israeli officials told Axios the sortie was not unusual and was intended only to deter Iran. Axios also warned the flight could have triggered a miscalculation and an Iranian response.

The reported sortie came in a week of rising regional tension: Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia prompted Washington to order some diplomats and families to leave its Saudi missions, explosions were heard in Sirik in southern Iran, and the US and Israel were separately reported to have drawn up plans for possible renewed strikes on Iran. No Iranian response to the Monday flight was reported in the Axios account.