I was just watching US Sec. of War Pete Hegseth's update from Day 4 of Operation Epic Fury (US) / Roaring Lion (ISR), partly from my safe room in Tel Aviv as Israeli Air Defences shot down Iranian & Hezbollah missiles aimed at my family.
https://www.youtube.com/live/D9ZeE1tQDqE?si=hHFk3MKvEHHVskKO&t=2271
I had been struck by other recent statements by Rubio, Hegseth describing the USAF & IAF as the two "most powerful" & "best" airforces in the world.
In this Day 4 update Sec. Hegseth expresses multiple times his deep and genuine appreciation, relief and awe about the USA's partnership with Israel in this operation.
It is a true partnership of equals on the battlefield, something the United States has NEVER experienced before. With complementary strengths, the combination of Israel & the USA's combat power is "a force multiplier". 1 + 1 = 3.
Combat Stats
The combat statistics bear this out. Hegseth says this operation has delivered twice the combat power of the "Shock & Awe" campaign in Iraq in 2003 and 7 times that of Israel's 12 Day War on Iran in June 2025.
Israel has stated that the availability of 50 USAF air-to-air refuelling planes (compared to Israel's 4) has allowed Israel to deliver 4x the combat power of the 12 Day War.
What this means is that in the first 4 days Israel has delivered 57% of the combat power inflicted on Iran's regime. It is also notable that Israel declared Air Supremacy in its Northern Corridor 2 days ago and then began using stand-in (guided gravity bombs) rather than more expensive & rarer stand off weapons. The USA started this in the last 24 hours. Israel was at least 24 hours ahead of the USA in this crucial metric.
I don't doubt that the US will now catch up and exceed Israel in this combat power metric now that air supremacy allows it to use unstealthed B1-B & B-52 bombers dropping (guided) gravity bombs rather than more expensive & rarer stand-off weapons.
Partnership with Israel "a breath of fresh air"
But Sec Hegseth's expression of relief "a breath of fresh air" about the US finally having a wartime ally that was an equal partner, with complementary capabilities made me reflect on when the USA has had this in the past. This is especially significant compared to his description of traditional allies as "pearl clutchers" yesterday.
The truth is that it has never before had a co-equal partner with such extremely close cooperation in a major conflict in its entire history. Since WWII it has had some capable junior partners, like Australia & (sometimes) the UK in conflicts like Korea, Vietnam, the Iraq Wars, but it always bore more than 80% & often 90-95% of the true combat load.
In Afghanistan it had European partners that were more trouble than they were worth, so combat incapable that they needed babysitting, sucking US combat power.
Even in WWII on the Western front the US delivered ~80% of the combat power with the UK & others delivering the remaining 20%. While Soviet contribution to WWII dwarfed that of the Western Allies, it was not fighting together, in coordination as a true battle partner. Indeed it was a race as to who could take more of the dying Nazi Empire.
So Israel has delivered something unique and clearly greatly valued in the history of the United States, certainly in the last century.
Fighting together, shoulder to shoulder in battle as equals bonds men and bonds nations.