Israel’s Air Force was fully prepared to launch a massive assault on hundreds of targets deep inside Iran last week before the mission was canceled just one hour before takeoff, Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar revealed Tuesday.

In a letter to Air Force personnel marking one year since Operation “With the Strength of a Lion,” Bar detailed the dramatic sequence of events following Israel’s strike on a Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut’s Dahiyeh district and Iran’s subsequent missile attack on Israel.

“Last week, following the strike on Hezbollah’s stronghold in Dahiyeh, the State of Israel was attacked by dozens of surface-to-surface missiles launched from Iran,” Bar wrote.

“The Air Defense Array operated in an extraordinary manner, intercepting all relevant threats, with no casualties in the State of Israel. There is no defense like this anywhere in the world.”

Bar said the Israeli response was swift and far-reaching.

“In response to the Iranian attack, the Air Force launched a strike 1,500 kilometers from home. Within just a few hours, dozens of targets in Iran were attacked. We significantly damaged Iran’s air defense array and struck additional regime assets.”

He then disclosed that an even larger operation was moments away from being launched.

“The following day, the entire Air Force was ready to take off for a large-scale strike mission,” he wrote. “Within just hours of the launch order, we shortened readiness times, demonstrated exceptional flexibility, armed the entire Air Force, completed planning and preparations, and were ready to strike hundreds of targets in the heart of Iran.”

“The operation was halted while we were still briefing the squadrons—just one hour before takeoff.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)