The woman, identified only as “Yud” for security reasons, became the first female deputy commander of an IAF fighter squadron to participate in such a high-risk mission.
By Shula Rosen
During Israel’s recent 12-day war with Iran, a married couple, both senior combat navigators in the Israel Air Force, played an active role in operations over Iranian territory, flying sorties targeting strategic threats. The woman, identified only as “Yud” for security reasons, became the first female deputy commander of an IAF fighter squadron to participate in such a high-risk mission. Her husband, known as “Bet”, commands a fighter squadron.
The couple’s participation emphasizes the evolving role of women in the Israeli military, particularly within combat aviation. In one notable mission, an Israeli fighter jet flying deep into Iranian airspace was crewed entirely by women, a first in such a sensitive operation, according to the military.
Speaking to Channel 12, Yud described the emotional difficulty of leaving their two young children before the operation. “It was a different hug, toward an unknown place,” she said. “We didn’t know how these two weeks would end.”
During “Operation Lion’s Stance”, as the campaign was called, Israeli forces carried out more than 1,500 sorties, striking more than 900 targets, including key elements of Iran’s ballistic missile program and nuclear infrastructure. Israeli officials said the operation was necessary to prevent Iran from advancing toward nuclear weaponization—a charge Tehran denies.
Yud said she wasn’t worried about her husband while they flew, but admitted she monitored his aircraft’s return on the squadron screens. “I stayed an extra five minutes just to make sure he got back too,” she said.
Iran’s retaliation included more than 500 missiles and 1,100 drones, killing 29 people in Israel and injuring thousands. The campaign marked a dramatic escalation in tensions between the two countries and demonstrated the growing involvement of women in frontline roles once reserved only for men.
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