The War Zone
• Thomas Newdick
Israel is relocating an AH-64 Apache squadron from Ramon Air Base in the south to Ramat David in the north, shifting additional attack-helicopter capacity toward the country’s critical northern front. The move reflects a change in force positioning amid heightened regional security demands.
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Israel is relocating an AH-64 Apache squadron from Ramon Air Base in the south to Ramat David in the north, shifting additional attack-helicopter capacity toward the country’s critical northern front. The move reflects a change in force positioning amid heightened regional security demands.
Israel intends to ask the United States for information on Boeing’s F-47, according to Israeli media, in an early effort to assess whether the next-generation air-superiority fighter could eventually become available to the Israeli Air Force.
High activity
Israel’s low-cost Israir has received U.S. Department of Transportation approval to begin selling tickets for nonstop Tel Aviv–New York flights starting October 19, 2026. The carrier still requires final operating approval from the Federal Aviation Administration before it can launch the service.
The United States is working to establish a deconfliction mechanism among Israel, Turkey and Syria after Israeli airstrikes hit the Abu al-Duhur airbase in northwestern Syria near the Turkish border. U.S. Syria envoy Tom Barrack called the strikes an “unnecessary escalation,” while Turkey condemned the attack.
Israel’s flag carrier El Al remained profitable at the half-year mark after a sharp second-quarter recovery. Reduced military operations in early April helped the airline offset a loss-making first quarter, with net profit doubling to $132 million for the three months ended June 30.
The Israeli Air Force has restarted Squadron 193, which operates maritime helicopters for the Israeli Navy, following the delivery of new SH-60F Seahawks from Sikorsky. The move points to renewed ASW and maritime air support capacity aligned to navy helicopter operations.
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will explore the development of autonomous freighters with a U.S. specialist called Merlin, with cargo-conversion providers also set to contribute engineering expertise. The effort targets large multi-crew transport platforms under consideration for adaptation into autonomous cargo operations.
Israel has approved up to ILS55 million ($18 million) in compensation for local airlines’ “recognised costs” tied to repositioning flights during the joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, according to a transport ministry statement dated July 15, 2026. The payment is intended to offset empty-flight expenses incurred in the period covered.
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