Why was Iwo Jima a major step in the Allies’ island-hopping campaign?

Iwo Jima was strategically important because its airfields could support Allied aircraft on missions against Japan. Capturing the island also gave the Allies a place for fighter escorts and emergency landings as they moved closer to the Japanese mainland. Thus, the correct choice is “Its airfields would enable them to attack Japan.”

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.