In a historic operation early Saturday morning, female pilots played a pivotal role in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) executed precision airstrikes on Iranian military sites.

The operation showcased F-15 and F-16 fighter jets, which departed from Israel, and reports highlighted the contributions of four female navigators from the Israeli Air Force (IAF).

The IDF's footage of this mission revealed the extensive scale of the operation, which involved multiple aircraft, including fighter jets, aerial refuelling tankers, and reconnaissance planes. 

This strike, covering approximately 1,600 kilometres, targeted facilities linked to Iran's missile production and surface-to-air missile sites. The IDF stated that this action was a direct response to a recent missile barrage from Iran.

During a recorded briefing before the mission, an air force commander addressed the pilots, saying, "This historic act you have accomplished tonight is now a reality. No enemy is too far away for us to reach."

This operation marks a significant milestone not only in military strategy but also in the evolving role of women in the IDF. The history of female pilots in the Israeli Air Force is rich and transformative.

Yael Rom, one of the first female pilots in the IAF, became the first woman trained and certified by the force, co-piloting a C-47 during a critical mission in the 1956 Suez War. But after that, progress stalled.  Although Israel’s first prime minister David Ben-Gurion had said "Security will not exist if our nation's women do not know how to fight," there were fears that women fighters could be captured and sexually abused. For years women in the IDF were in a separate Women’s Corps.

In 1997, a landmark legal appeal by Alice Miller challenged the IDF’s policy on women in combat roles, leading to a gradual shift in the military's stance. Miller won her case, but was unable to train as a fighter pilot for medical reasons.  The trailblazing journey continued in 2001 when Lt. Roni Zuckerman became the fourth woman to complete the rigorous Air Force training and the first to achieve the status of combat fighter pilot. Her achievement paved the way for others, and by 2005, more women were joining the ranks of combat pilots and transport pilots.

Since then, 38 women have earned their pilot wings from the IAF, including 16 combat navigators, three combat pilots, seven helicopter pilots, and 12 cargo pilots, according to the Jewish Virtual Library.

Female pilots have proven their mettle in combat scenarios, particularly during the Second Lebanon War in 2006, when helicopter pilots actively participated in field missions alongside their male counterparts.

The IDF's ongoing commitment to gender equality in the military is further exemplified by the appointment of Ella Waweya in 2022 as the first female Muslim-Arab major in Israeli history.