Israel’s defense minister, Israel Katz, hailed the recent rescue of a U.S. fighter pilot shot down over Iranian airspace as a clear product of close U.S.-Israeli cooperation.
On April 5, after a battlefield assessment with senior military leaders, Katz said the operation “demonstrated how closely the two countries can work together even in the most complex situations.”
He did not outline Israel’s precise role. Israeli media, including the Times of Israel, reported that Israeli intelligence assets played a key part in the search-and-rescue. The Israeli Air Force also provided indirect support by postponing planned strikes in nearby areas while U.S. forces conducted the recovery.
Katz issued a stern warning to Tehran, saying that continued missile attacks aimed at Israeli civilians would force Iran to “pay a heavy price,” including significant damage to its national infrastructure.
He accused Iran’s petrochemical sector of funneling substantial funds to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in recent years, money that he said was diverted into missile development. Katz framed those transfers as the rationale behind Israel’s strikes on petrochemical facilities inside Iran.
Analysts say Katz’s comments underscore close military coordination between Israel and the United States and reflect an effort to increase pressure on Iran amid rising regional tensions.
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