Israel calls fighter-jet flight toward Iran’s border a deterrence exercise as U.S. officials suspect it aimed to provoke a response

Dozens of Israeli fighter jets flew toward Iran’s border on Monday in an operation Israel described as a deterrence exercise, Axios reported.

Some U.S. officials suspected Israel was deliberately seeking to provoke Iran into firing at the aircraft, potentially giving Israel a justification for renewed strikes against Iran, Axios reported.

The operation followed reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had urged U.S. President Donald Trump to consider another attack on Iran, the outlet said.