As US-Iran nuclear talks continue, IAF conducts drills for possible Iranian missile attack

Amid rising regional tensions over the possibility of an escalation with Iran, on Monday the Israeli Air Force (IAF) conducted a large-scale exercise simulating an Iranian missile barrage targeting its bases across the country. 

The IAF carried out the extensive exercise simulating missile strikes on the same bases that were attacked in April and October 2024. The training exercise appears to aimed at improving readiness for a scenario of a possible Iranian attack, in the event that negotiations between Iran and the United States fail. 

According to a report published in Kan News, the exercise focused on the preparation of defense systems and cooperation between various units within the IDF, including the Air Force, the Air Defense System, and logistical support units. 

חיל האוויר קיים תרגיל לקראת תקיפה אפשרית באיראן, ומתקפת נגד שעשויה לבוא בעקבותיה | הפרסום הראשון של @ItayBlumental#חדשותהערב pic.twitter.com/eAq7Qhqxde

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) April 21, 2025

The day before the IAF exercises, significant activity was observed at the Nevatim base in southern Israel. According to data from flightradar24.com, a live flight tracker, eight C-17 heavy transport aircraft landed at the base on Sunday, joining 17 others that have landed since April 10.

The arrival of a total of 25 aircraft in such a short time marks one of the busiest periods of defense supply by the U.S. since the start of the Gaza War. The flights are believed to have brought advanced Patriot and THAAD interception systems as part of preparations for a possible attack on Iran and a direct Iranian response if negotiations between the U.S. and Iran collapse. 

Something unusual is going on once again, on Easter Sunday a total of 8 C-17A Globemaster IIIs with the U.S. Air Force’s Air Mobility Command (AMC) were tracked flying between Ramstein Air Base in Germany and Nevatim Airbase in Southern Israel, all of which were linked with the… pic.twitter.com/zZX4Ui8ZVN

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) April 21, 2025

The increased activity also indicates the possible tightening of military cooperation between Israel and the United States, even as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to publicly talk up the negotiations for a new Iranian nuclear deal. 

Trump told reporters on Monday, “We had very good meetings actually, on Iran,” without providing any details. 

President Trump made it clear last week that he had not definitively ruled out a military strike. 

Speaking with reporters in the Oval Office during a visit from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Trump said he wouldn’t characterize his actions as having “waved off” the impending strikes.

“I’m not in a rush to do it,” he explained. “Iran has a chance to have a great country, and to live happily without death, and I’d like to see that. That’s my first option.” 

Israeli officials were reportedly surprised by the New York Times story last Thursday, which claimed that Trump had cancelled a planned strike in order to pursue a diplomatic solution. According to public broadcaster Kan 11, officials in Israel believe the leak of the story may have been part of a campaign to pressure Iran into agreeing to the talks by demonstrating active planning for a military option. 

The Times of Israel recently reported that Israel is still conducting planning for a possible limited strike, that would not require U.S. support. However, a senior Israeli official told Reuters that no decision has been made regarding an Iranian strike. 

On Saturday, Ynet news reported that Israel's defense establishment believes there is a short window of opportunity – perhaps only months – to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities.

With CENTCOM Chief General Michael Kurilla, a strong supporter of Israel's defense capabilities both before and after the start of the Gaza War, expected to visit Israel soon, it is believed he will discuss possible military options with his Israeli counterparts.

According to the Ynet story, IDF officials would prefer to carry out a strike on Iran while Kurilla is still head of CENTCOM, based on his previous levels of support and cooperation with the IDF and IAF.

NEW 🔴

CENTCOM Chief Kurilla will visit Israel in the coming days to coordinate on Iran.

He’s known for supporting strikes on Tehran’s nuclear program.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Air Force is stepping up preparations for a potential strike in Iran, either alone or with U.S.… pic.twitter.com/Jxs4zTPRMS

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) April 21, 2025

Meanwhile, after the end of the second round of talks between the U.S. and Iran at the Omani Embassy in Rome on Saturday, the spokesman for the Omani Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying, “The parties agreed to move to the next phase of negotiations aimed at reaching a fair, permanent, and binding agreement that guarantees Iran's complete nuclear-weapon-free status and the complete lifting of sanctions, while preserving its right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.”