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The Israeli Air Force currently includes more than 70 women serving as combat pilots and navigators.
By Shula Rosen
More than 30 women serving in the Israeli Air Force have been involved in the long-range strikes on Iran carried out since Saturday as part of Operation Roaring Lion, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed Monday in response to a query from Ynet.
The military said the participants include female pilots, combat navigators and technicians who were part of the missions targeting Iran. The operations involve extended flights and complex coordination as Israeli aircraft conduct attacks far from Israel’s borders.
The IDF confirmation comes as the war effort continues at a high operational pace and as public discussion in Israel has intensified in recent months over women serving in combat units and other front-line military roles.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, a female aircrew member said the Israeli Air Force currently includes more than 70 women serving as combat pilots and navigators.
Accounts from crew members describe the tension inside the cockpit during the approach to targets. Capt. N., an F-16 combat navigator from the 107th Squadron who participated in the strikes during Operation “With the Lion” in June, described the experience in an interview with Ynet.
“On the way to the target you’re tense, listening to the radio for any change and knowing what you’re doing,” she said. “There’s no moment for casual conversation in the cockpit. Only when you return to non-threatened territory do you say to the pilot: ‘Wow, what an experience we just had.’”
She said the operational tempo has remained intense since October 7, with crews frequently on standby for additional missions.
“You’re just waiting for them to call you. You want to defend and to strike. That’s what we trained for; that’s why we’re here. It doesn’t matter how much you slept at night, if you slept at all. You fly and you do the job.”
Capt. N. also said she believed the confrontation with Iran would continue beyond the earlier round of strikes.
“We did very good work here and it’s not finished yet,” she said. “We are still alert and ready for anything.”
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