The IAF purchased 48 A-4 Skyhawks 1967, and on 5 September 1969 the first of an order of 50 F-4E Phantoms and 6 RF-4Es arrived in Israel. This gave the IAF a clear edge over the best the Arab air forces had to offer.
The American Era
After the 1967 Six Day War, France placed an arms embargo on Israel, and Israel lost its only source of military aircraft. With the Cold War playing out in the Middle East, the Johnson administration finally agreed to sell offensive weapons to Israel. After that, the U.S. became the primary supplier of fighter aircraft to Israel.