Photos show Israel’s F-15I Ra’am ‘Thunder’ fighter jets used in strikes against Iran’s nuclear program

Israel’s fleet of F-15I warplanes, a modified version of the Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle, can fly long distances while carrying thousands of pounds of weapons.

Israel has used F-15I planes in strikes against Iran’s nuclear program, which Israel Defense Forces Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir called an “existential threat.”

The planes are part of the Israeli Air Force‘s fleet of advanced fighter jets acquired from the US and enhanced with military technology manufactured in Israel.

Here’s a look at the cutting-edge military aircraft.

F-15I Ra’am fighter jets are Israeli versions of Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle planes.

Following the 1991 Gulf War, during which Iraq fired Scud missiles into Israeli cities, Israel acquired the long-range planes in order to bolster its air defense system.

The Israeli Air Force considered an array of models before ordering 25 F-15I planes for $2.4 billion in 1994, The New York Times reported.

The first F-15I planes arrived in Israel in 1998.

Israel’s then-minister of defense, Itzchak Mordechai, formally accepted the planes in a ceremony at Boeing’s plant in St. Louis in November 1997. The first two F-15I jets then arrived in Israel in January 1998.

“From a purely technological standpoint, the F-15I is a masterpiece. It will provide the qualitative edge Israel requires to preserve peace,” Boeing’s then-CEO, Phil Condit, said in a statement in 1997.

The Israeli Air Force named its F-15I variant “Ra’am” meaning “Thunder” in Hebrew.

The planes were also customized with decals of the Star of David, a six-pointed Jewish symbol that appears on the Israeli flag.

Israel added its own computer system, terrain-mapping radar, and display and sight helmet, or DASH, to the planes.

With DASH technology from Israeli manufacturer Elbit Systems, pilots can aim weapons just by looking at a target.

The F-15I’s APG-70 synthetic aperture radar can also operate in any weather conditions.

Each aircraft can carry 18,000 pounds of fuel and weapons, The National Interest reported.

F-15I fighter jets can fly a maximum of 4,450 kilometers, or 2,765 miles, without refueling, according to the Israeli Air Force.

The planes can also be refueled while airborne, enabling them to fly even longer distances.

They can reach speeds exceeding Mach 2.5, or around 1,918 miles per hour.

At low altitudes, the F-15I’s maximum speed is 1,482 kilometers per hour, or around 920 miles per hour.

In August 2024, the State Department approved the sale of 50 new F-15I planes and upgrade kits for Israel’s existing fleet totaling $20 billion.

The sale also included tank ammunition, mortars, and military vehicles. Israel won’t actually receive the new F-15Is until 2029, the Associated Press reported.

Israel’s counteroffensive airstrikes and military operations in Gaza following the Hamas-led terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023, have resulted in widespread Palestinian fatalities, increasing scrutiny of US military aid to Israel.

The Israel Defense Forces said it used over 150 fighter jets to target Hezbollah leaders in Lebanon in September.

In September, Israel launched an airstrike on Hezbollah’s central headquarters in Beirut that killed Hassan Nasrallah, who had led the Iran-backed militant group since 1992.

The Israel Defense Forces also targeted Hezbollah’s military infrastructure across southern Lebanon and launched a ground offensive.

The Israeli Air Force shared photos of F-15I fighter jets loaded with what appeared to be 2,000-pound BLU-109 bombs known as “bunker busters” following the airstrikes.

Iran responded by launching a missile attack on Israel. US warships helped intercept the Iranian missiles, and White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan said Iran’s attack was “ineffective.”

In June, Israel struck nuclear and military sites in Iran with over 200 fighter jets, including F-15I Ra’am planes.

Beginning June 13, the Israel Defense Forces have bombarded Iran’s nuclear facilities, military sites, and weapons manufacturing capabilities in an effort to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon and launching further attacks.

Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at Israel, some of which have evaded Israel’s air defenses and damaged residential and commercial buildings.

Photos released by the Israel Defense Forces show F-15I Ra’am jets preparing to strike Iran, as well as the involvement of Israel’s F-35I Adir stealth fighter jets. The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that the Israeli Air Force had conducted over 600 aerial refuelings since the beginning of the strikes, dubbed Operation Rising Lion.

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