A female pilot and female navigator piloted an Israel Air Force fighter jet for the first time in history during Operation Rising Lion, the IAF announced on Sunday.

The pairing of a female pilot and navigator on this particular flight was not pre-determined, IAF noted.

However, it symbolizes the growing trend of gender equality within the air force, IAF added.

There was no comment on which airstrikes or targets the pair participated in.

During Operation Rising Lion, IAF conducted over 1,500 sorties, establishing air superiority across over 2,000 kilometers between Israel and Tehran.

An Israeli Air Force fighter jet prepares to take off ahead of strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, June 13, 2025
An Israeli Air Force fighter jet prepares to take off ahead of strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, June 13, 2025 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

Multiple successes of Operation Rising Lion

During the operation, over 900 targets were hit by airstrikes, destroying over 1,500 components, including ballistic missile stores, launchers, fighter jets, and helicopters.

Approximately 370 strikes were carried out with IAF fighter jets, while approximately 80 out of 100 Iranian surface-to-air missile systems were destroyed.

Operation Rising Lion required over 600 aerial refuels, with the most distant strike carried out at Mashhad Shahid Hasheminejad International Airport, approximately 2,400 kilometers from Israel.