Probably not, but it’s still an interesting “what-if.”
This, coupled with the fact that Israel has been ferociously trying to acquire the F-35 ahead of schedule, makes me wonder if the IAF is second-guessing their ability to knock back Iranian air defenses enough to clear strike lanes to Bushehr and Natanz. Seeing that some sort of Operation Dawn throw-back mission might be needed to guarantee neutralization of the myriad of nuclear-related targets, you can see why the IAF would be interested in an airframe that assures dominance of the skies. Doubtful that Congress grants Israel’s wish, though. Even though the Israelis would be doing us an enormous favor by cratering Iran’s budding reactors, the fact that Israel sold advanced radar technology to China some years back still leaves a bitter taste in many a lawmaker and defense official’s mouth. That’s to say nothing of the fact that selling the Raptor to allied nations is illegal. Happy compromise? If Lockheed can speed up delivery by a year or two, Israel might go for the STVOL F-35 bravo. While it lacks the range of the alpha variant, the F-35b can sneak into enemy territory (or close to it) and be refueled by a special forces team. No runways necessary, which means you can find a Desert One type location for your fighter jets, and stage your attack from there. Minus the Desert One style fiasco, presumably.
