Wilsbach Meets with Top Israeli Military Leaders in Middle East Visit

U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach visited Israel in recent days as the conflict with Iran hit six months, meeting with the heads of the Israel Defense Forces and the Israeli Air Force.

Wilsbach’s meeting with top Israeli military leaders Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and Maj. Gen. Omer Tischler took place Aug. 23, the IDF announced Aug. 26. Wilsbach confirmed the meeting in an Aug. 28 social media post.

The IDF said the leaders discussed “the regional situation, advancing learning from the joint campaign, and future areas of cooperation.” Wilsbach wrote that they talked over “shared priorities for regional security [and] opportunities to deepen cooperation.”

The U.S. Air Force has yet to release a readout from the meeting, and a USAF spokesperson did not immediately respond to a query from Air & Space Forces Magazine.

The visit is Wilsbach’s first publicized visit to the Middle East since the start of the Iran war, which began Feb. 28 with dual air campaigns named Operation Epic Fury and Operation Roaring Lion.

Over the course of the past six months, the U.S. and Israel have struck thousands of Iranian targets for the largest air campaign in the Middle East in a generation. During that time, the USAF has stationed fighter jets and aerial refuelers at Israeli airports and air bases.

The monthslong presence of KC-46 and KC-135 tankers at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, has tested the capacity of Israel’s main commercial airport. In July, Israeli officials said they would limit the number of USAF aircraft that could stay there so as to not disrupt commercial travel.

Since the most recent flareup in mid-to-late July, combat operations against Iran have slowed, with U.S. forces focusing on enforcing a blockade of Iranian ships and ports. President Donald Trump’s administration has instead focused more on inflicting economic pressure on Iran.

Still, the Pentagon is maintaining a large force posture in the region under U.S. Central Command, including dozens of USAF aircraft.

Wilsbach previously visited the CENTCOM area of responsibility in December 2025 as part of a major trip to seven bases in the Middle East and Europe. In July, he visited London for the Global Air and Space Chiefs Conference, RAF Mildenhall in the U.K., and Aviano Air Base in Italy.