The aircraft—used for official international travel by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog—left for Athens amid growing concerns of Iranian retaliation. Its departure coincided with the launch of Israel’s reported “Operation Rising Lion,” targeting Iranian nuclear infrastructure.
The Jerusalem Post notes that the flight took off shortly before IDF Spokesperson Brigadier General Daniel Hagari (identified as Effie Defrin in earlier reports) confirmed that Iran had launched over 100 attack drones toward Israeli territory. While Israel’s defense systems intercepted a significant number of them, military officials cautioned that additional launches could not be ruled out.
Though home front instructions were temporarily relaxed, the IDF warned that further escalation could lead to tighter restrictions once again. The same state aircraft had also been relocated during Iran’s previous drone and missile attack on Israel in April 2024, underscoring the strategic precautions taken to ensure the safety of national leadership.
No official comment has been made regarding the purpose of the current trip to Athens or whether any leaders were on board.
