Israeli pilots surprised to see Iranian jets flee during historic strike on nuclear sites

Israeli Air Force (IAF) fighter pilots taking part in the IDF's historic operation "Rising Lion" attacking Iran’s nuclear and military sites, were surprised to see Iranian pilots flee rather than engage in combat.

Major N., an Air Force F-15 pilot from Squadron 133 who participated in the first strike against Iran, recalled the experience.

“Fighting 1,500 km from home isn’t a walk in the park,” he said. “I flew in the first formation over Iran.”

He noted that the IAF had been preparing for a strike on Iran for several years.

“This is a threat we’ve been studying for years. As has been reported in recent weeks, we were intensely preparing for a confrontation with Iran – we knew it was coming. But despite all the simulations and briefings, we didn’t know exactly when. We only found out that day that we were launching a real strike. The aim was to keep the chatter to a minimum. In the week leading up to it, we were at maximum readiness,” he recalled.

However, the Israeli pilots were surprised by the lack of resistance from the Iranian Air Force.

“We saw Iranian jets take off – then flee and vanish, and we stayed two hours and could’ve gone back again and again,” the pilot said.

Major N. sees Israel’s current military success against Iran as a form of redemption for the failure to prevent the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023.

The IAF is regarded as one of the world’s top air powers, with dominance across much of the Middle East. Still, Israeli pilots expected Iran to pose a tougher challenge.

“Every pilot dreams of downing an enemy aircraft, and we were ready for that. But during the opening wave, when we entered Iranian airspace, we saw their pilots take off – and then flee. They flew inward, toward central Iran, literally running away from us and disappearing,” he recalled.

While the military operation against Iran is still ongoing, Israel has already eliminated much of Iran’s senior military leadership and inflicted significant damage on Tehran’s vast nuclear weapons program.

The IAF strike against Iran was initially considered a risky operation. However, Major N. admitted that he was more concerned about his family in Israel facing Iranian missile and drone attacks.

“My biggest worry was for them,” he stated. “We knew the enemy’s capabilities and plans. I couldn’t say anything at home – not a word to my family. It weighed heavily on me, knowing the entire country was about to change in an instant.”

Major N. concluded by emphasizing that the historic aerial strike was carried out to ensure the security and future of the State of Israel.

“This mission was complex. Second, facing the enemy. We know what kind of regime we’re dealing with – one that openly calls for our destruction – and we were taking action to secure our national future.”