The Israeli Air Force conducted a large-scale show of force near the Iranian border on Monday, Axios correspondent Barak Ravid reported.
According to the report, dozens of Israeli military aircraft participated in the sortie, which was conducted about 800 miles from Israel's borders.
Sources told Ravid that the operation was not unusual and that it served as both a training exercise and a method of "power projection" without a military strike. In addition, the sources stated that the US was informed of the operation ahead of time.
American sources speculated that the Israelis hoped the Iranians would fire at their planes, which would justify retaliatory strikes.
The Axios report follows an earlier report by the Financial Times that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Israel Defense Forces to prepare for a large-scale military strike against Iran, scheduled for the weekend of October 10, but the operation was halted following opposition from US President Donald Trump.
According to the report, the IDF had already begun preparing for a bombing campaign lasting several days, targeting nuclear facilities, power plants and other civilian infrastructure, alongside sites associated with the Iranian regime. The planned operation was expected to be even more extensive than the joint Israeli-American offensive launched in February.
The sources said the primary reason the operation did not proceed was Trump's opposition to restarting the war before the US midterm elections on November 3. The American president was reportedly concerned about the potential consequences of another military escalation for the economy and energy prices, at a time when he faces domestic political pressure.
Despite the postponement, Netanyahu and Trump have continued to threaten renewed military action against Iran. One source familiar with the discussions told the newspaper that the possibility of Israel and the United States resuming strikes in the coming weeks remains on the table.
"Either there will be a deal, or there will be an attack," the source said, explaining that the Trump administration is seeking an agreement with Iran over its nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz as part of a broader arrangement to end the war.