IDF Releases Pics Of Female Fighter Pilots Before Their Departure For Iran Mission

In the early hours of Saturday, Israeli female fighter pilots from the Israeli Air Force (IAF) were part of a squadron that launched a retaliatory attack on Iranian military sites.

These pilots, along with others, were featured in videos and photos released by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) on Saturday evening.

Photo Credit: https://x.com/Israel

The footage shows F-15 and F-16 fighter jets heading out to conduct the strikes in Iran, marking the first time Israel's military has openly attacked Iranian targets.

The images include some of the four female navigators from IAF squadrons who participated in the mission.

According to Israel's military, the airstrikes targeted Iranian facilities used to manufacture missiles fired at Israel, as well as surface-to-air missile sites.

There was no immediate indication that any oil or nuclear facilities were hit, which would have marked a significant escalation. Israel has not provided an immediate damage assessment.

Explosions were heard in Tehran until dawn, with the Islamic Republic reporting "limited damage." Iranian authorities stated that the strikes targeted military bases in Ilam, Khuzestan, and Tehran provinces, while Iran's Al-Alam television reported that four soldiers had been killed.

Iran's Foreign Ministry stated it had the right to self-defence and "considers itself entitled and obligated to defend against foreign acts of aggression."

The strikes risk intensifying the conflict between the two archenemies, especially as violence escalates across the Middle East, where Iranian-backed militant groups, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, are already engaged in conflict with Israel.