IAF officer who led initial Iran attack says pilots faced extreme risk

A senior IAF officer revealed that pilots faced extreme risk during the opening wave of Operation Roaring Lion, targeting Iranian missile squadrons despite partially reestablished air defense.

The planes that entered Iran at the beginning of Operation Roaring Lion did so at great risk and with partially reestablished air defenses, a senior Israel Air Force officer told Walla on Monday.

“The planes that entered Iran first were at very high risk. I was there. I led the people from the air, the pilots took this risk out of a deep understanding that we would be able to attack a surface-to-surface missile squadron that could hit Israel and its citizens,” the officer said.

He also said that the IDF had been preparing itself for a long conflict, not only with Iran but with all of the threats against Israel in the Middle East.

“We are preparing for a long war. We are not getting tired, and our goals are clear,” he said.

IAF is still expecting surprises from Iran

According to the officer, so far, since the outbreak of the war, Israeli pilots have not encountered any surprises regarding Iranian capabilities, with most operations going according to plan.

This, however, doesn’t mean that the forces can relax, he explained. “Since the beginning of the war, we are expecting surprises from the Iranian regime and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” he said.

“The success from today can become defeats from tomorrow, so right now we are working to improve our capabilities and minimize future risks,” he added.

Finally, he said that “it’s still too early to start studying the war,” and that the first priority is to complete the current mission.

“We have more very complex missions, and we will continue to do them without stopping,” he said.