Israeli security officials believe the United States may keep a significant military presence in Israel for the long term — and could even consider relocating forces from other parts of the Middle East — following an unprecedented period of operational cooperation between the IDF and the US military, sources told the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom.
According to the report, Israeli officials say Washington has taken note of Israel’s strategic advantages: strong air defenses, advanced military infrastructure, relative distance from several immediate regional threats and, perhaps most importantly, the absence of restrictions on American military activity.
Unlike some regional partners that limit US takeoffs for offensive missions or impose political conditions, Israel places no such constraints on American operations, officials said.
The cooperation deepened significantly during “Operation Roaring Lion/Epic Fury,” when US personnel worked from the IDF’s underground command center, known as “the pit.” The arrangement gave American forces direct exposure to Israel’s operational capabilities, including the strength of the Israeli Air Force, as well as its limitations. At the same time, senior Israeli Air Force officers were in the United States and gained a closer view of American military capabilities.
At a May 5 ceremony at Tel Nof Airbase marking the change of command in the Israeli Air Force, Lt. Gen. Derek France, commander of US Air Forces Central Command, reportedly told outgoing Israeli Air Force commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar that the current level of cooperation is now the “baseline,” not a temporary wartime exception.
“There are American forces here that will not be moving in the near or even distant future,” a senior Israeli official told Israel Hayom. “They have learned that Israel is a convenient fortress for operations.”
Israeli defense officials believe new US Middle East policy documents are now being drafted, potentially including a recommendation for a permanent American military presence in Israel. It remains unclear whether that would involve air-defense batteries, fighter squadrons or other assets.
“It is not inconceivable that the US’s next base in the region will be in Israel,” one security official said.
Despite policy gaps between Jerusalem and Washington, particularly regarding Iran and Lebanon, Israeli officials stressed that military coordination remains tight. “There is no scenario in which one side would be surprised by the other’s activity,” they said.
Diplomatic coordination between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump also continues, even where the two governments do not fully agree.
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