Major (res.) A., a combat navigator in the 105th Squadron at Ramat David Air Force Base and a medical student, has a regular ceremony before boarding the F-16. She circles the formidable vessel, examines the wheels, bombs and connections, while brating her red hair into a long braid. Only then does she climb the metal ladder, sit in the seat behind the pilot and insert the braid into the overalls.
This was also the case on 7 October, when she arrived at the squadron on the day of the massacre in the communities near the Gaza Strip and at IDF posts. In the morning, she and her partner, Capt. R., managed to descend to the bomb shelter just before one of the Hamas rockets landed not far from their apartment. Immediately afterwards, they both got on their overalls and hurried to Ramat David - he as an active F-16 pilot and she as a volunteer in the reserves, who did not wait for Order 8. While many of the civilians sat in front of television screens, wincing in pain, trying to digest the atrocities, A. was already in the air with a plane armed with smart bombs.
Day 17 of the war: More than 320 targets attacked in the Gaza Strip // Photo: IDF Spokesperson
"No one in my family knows that just before the war, on a Friday, we managed to close an event garden for our wedding, which will take place in about six months," she smiles sheepishly. "It seems like it's been a few years, not three weeks. All life turned upside down. One minute I'm busy with my wedding and university, and the next I'm over Gaza, aiming bombs at strategic Hamas buildings."
Since the war began, A. has carried out dozens of sorties, several times a day, most of them at night. It took part in the destruction of terrorist infrastructure and the assassinations of senior Hamas figures. Her 105th squadron destroyed dozens of symbols of Hamas rule, including the "Palestine Tower" located in the prestigious Al Rimal neighborhood.
"Smart bombs were used." The attack on the "Palestine Tower" in Gaza, photo: AP
The hundreds of shelling carried out by the squadron, one of the oldest in the Air Force, is commanded by Lt. Col. T. (36), who prepares his pilots for two theaters of war - in Gaza and Lebanon. "Alongside the pain and loss, there is a sense of power," he clarifies. "Aircrews understand the mission and have a strong belief that we will win. This is Israel's war of existence, but no one is going to occupy the country. It's important to put things in proportion. They will investigate what happened and it's everyone's responsibility, but now the situation is different.
"Tens of thousands of fighters are on the borders, and we need to remind ourselves who is the strongest country in the Middle East. If the campaign in the north develops into a war, there will be missiles and fatalities, but the balance of power cannot be compared. Every day anew I prefer to be on our side. I have no doubt that we are going to win. We will end this event for our children, change the situation in the Middle East and return the residents of the south to their homes. That's the goal."
"Need to be focused"
Countless words were spilled about the surprising attack organized by Hamas and the heroism of the alert squads and civilians in the envelope, as opposed to the delay in the IDF's response. The Ramat David base was among the first to send fighter jets to the border to bomb Hamas targets and try to stop the flow of terrorists who arrived. Major A. and Capt. R. reported to the squadron at 08:30 a.m. Half an hour later, she was sitting in an F-16 and within minutes she was over Gaza, navigating a leading plane in a quartet formation.
The interview with her takes place shortly after the release of two Nahal Oz residents, Nurit Cooper and Yocheved Lifshitz. "It's necessary and gratifying," she says, "I'm sorry that only the two of them have been released now. I believe that all efforts are being made, on the political and military axes, to get the rest of the abductees out of Gaza."
Do you think of them during the attacks over Gaza?
"On my first flight of the war, I made a mistake and focused on the well-being of family members from the south. On the task I need to be focused. That is why in the first week I rarely watched TV. My daily schedule is briefing, flying, eating, sleeping. It's hard for me to hear the stories, I cut myself off. As part of the pilot's course, I prepared for being taken prisoner, and it is agonizing to imagine such situations on civilians and children.
"That Shabbat, like most of the military personnel whose job it is to defend the country, I felt that we had not fulfilled an agreement with the citizens of Israel. Since then, every time I boarded the plane in preparation for an attack, I have the feeling that I am promoting, helping and restoring what should have been in terms of defense."
"It is the responsibility and the check that the bomb reaches its destination that is important." The assassination of a senior Hamas figure from the air during the war, photo: IDF Spokesperson
What kind of attacks do you participate in?
"We attack whatever is necessary. They are hitting buildings, senior Hamas figures, infrastructure, outposts, weapons."
How does it feel to drop a bomb on senior Hamas figures?
"This is a sectoral war that has goals set by the state, and they are the people responsible for what happened on October 7. Whoever is responsible for the massacre will pay for it. Damage to weapons, infrastructure and buildings is important, but in the end the decision makers carried out the massacre and this is settling scores."
Can we see Gaza's situation from above?
"During the day you can see without the plane's instruments the buildings, the destruction that was done and the smoke and dust after the bombing. At night, we see below us the launches and interceptions and the explosion of their encounter. You used to see Gaza's house lighting, but now it's pretty dark. Compared to previous rounds, such as Operation Protective Edge and Guardian of the Walls, we are more aggressive. They erase everything that belongs to Hamas, while ensuring the evacuation of civilians. They are not attacking, but the terrorist organizations. I am pleased that these principles are being upheld, despite the appalling acts Hamas has committed against Israeli civilians."
Major A.: "On the first flight I made a mistake and focused on the well-being of family members from the south. That is why in the first week I rarely watched TV. In the pilot course I prepared for captivity, and it is agonizing to imagine such situations on civilians and children."
Her words are sharpened by the squadron's commander, Lt. Col. T. "No one wants to kill uninvolved people, and we are doing everything to avoid it. We must preserve values even in times of war," he clarifies. "However, something has changed in the country in relation to the enemies in front of us. In the past, before every attack in Gaza, we used the 'knock on the roof' procedure and even forwent harming terrorists. Now it's a state of war against a murderous and cruel enemy that doesn't shy away from means, so it's a different situation. They don't knock on the roof for everything, but ask civilians to move south so they won't get hurt. The effort is focused on mobilizing the population, because the area is becoming a war zone. It's a military zone, anyone who stays there knows he's taking a risk."
"We are hitting anything that could interfere with forces entering Gaza." Lt. Col. T., squadron commander, photo: Arik Sultan
"The right and moral thing"
In front of the first checkpoint to Ramat David is an uncharacteristically long line of cars. Hundreds of civilians who served at the base as pilots or technical staff come to volunteer. Opposite the entrance to the base was a sign: "Fight Together, Win Together," accepting those who come. Beneath it is a huge Israeli flag that is visible to every pilot who takes off or lands.
Ramat David, officially known as "Wing 1", has three F-16 squadrons and one helicopter squadron. The 105th headquarters, known as the "Scorpion Squadron", is located not far from the base's cinema, where briefings and lectures are also held. Lt. Col. T. stands outside his office talking to several young pilots. With the exception of the height, they all look like from one production house, which includes flight overalls and blue eyes.
T., married with two children and another on the way, breathed the army since childhood. His father was a senior armored officer, as was one of his brothers. He assumed his position as squadron commander in January of this year. "We're focused on the mission and focused on the goals, but we're also human beings who have been exposed to descriptions of horrors," he says. "We talked about it in the squadron and there is no doubt that we are all in the midst of this national trauma. The pain and loss belong to all the people of Israel, and the righteousness of the path is clear to everyone. Not only the pilots reported here in full composition, but also the ground crews. This is the people of Israel at their best. We received a painful blow and everyone understands what is the right thing to do."
Lt. Col. T.: "Alongside the pain and loss, there is a sense of power. Aircrews understand the mission. This is Israel's war of existence, but no one is going to occupy the country. They gave us a surprise, they will investigate what happened and it's everyone's responsibility, but now the situation is different."
Apart from senior Hamas figures, are there attempts to attack launching sites that try to disrupt life in Israel?
"The main effort at the moment is to hit Hamas operatives and prepare the area for the ground maneuver. We are hitting headquarters and anything that could interfere with our forces entering Gaza."
And what about the civilians in Ashkelon or Ashdod, who suffer rockets every day?
"The graph of launches is dropping significantly, and it's clear that we don't want missiles to hit the home front. The main operational solution is to harm Hamas operatives. We disrupt their ability to command and control and make them feel persecuted. The purpose of the fighting, as dictated by the General Staff and according to the country's strategy, is to dismantle Hamas of all its operational capabilities. Hunting every launcher and stockpile of ammunition is ineffective."
Why?
"Because they are very scattered and because we have Iron Dome, which is doing an excellent job. In places where there is a concentration of launchers and a mass of mortar launches at our forces, they attack because of the operational value."
Lt. Col. T. shows on the screen in his office two videos of the shelling, as captured from the fighter jet cameras. One shows Gaza at night when it is dark, but suddenly the houses are covered by dark snowflakes. These are residues of concrete crushed to pieces, dust and soot. Then we see an explosion, and a mushroom of fire and smoke soars into the sky.
In the second video, it is easy to identify the "Palestine Tower," where Hamas units such as the intelligence headquarters, the production headquarters and senior officials were staying. The building stands intact, and a second later a powerful flash is seen and the structure collapses into itself. "Smart bombs were used here, since there are private homes around and it is important that the strike be accurate," he explains. "The Air Force's achievements are significant. We are not deciding when the ground incursion will take place, but we will be with the soldiers in full force."
Destruction of the Palestine Tower in Gaza City
The fact that there are many abductees in Gaza and we have no idea where they are, makes you hesitate before releasing a bomb?
"That's a tough question. We are in a war for which we have been preparing for 30 years and one of the most significant challenges is putting thoughts aside, including concerns for the family. The big picture is important and we need to concentrate on the task. You can't fly with the thought of 'what if'. Difficult things can happen in war, and you can't hesitate before dropping a bomb. If something difficult happens, we will know how to deal with it. We are doing the right and moral thing in Gaza, we have no other solution."
Lt. Col. T.: "The social situation and the protests look like something we dealt with a hundred years ago. On Saturday afternoon, all the reservists reported here, including people who had returned especially from abroad. Each carried out dozens of sorties. That's how it is with Israel, in the squadron there is no right or left."
At the same time, the northern sector is also very warm. Are you ready for two theaters of war, Gaza and Lebanon?
"In recent years, the IDF has been preparing for a multi-front war. At the moment, a state of war is declared in the south, and the northern arena is secondary. These are mainly exchanges of blows between the sides. The IDF thwarts infiltration attempts and anti-tank fire, and there are quite a few achievements, such as 30 Hezbollah operatives who were eliminated. The squadron is also ready for the northern sector, with stocks of armaments."
What is the difference between the arenas?
"The level of threat to fighter jets from Lebanon is high and significant, unlike Gaza, but it does not harm the sense of security. At the moment, Hezbollah is concentrating on hitting military targets, so we are responding in the same way, attacking observation posts and anti-tank positions. At the same time, communities were evacuated, with the understanding that the scene could ignite and we do not want what happened on 7 October to happen. The Air Force is fully prepared for this arena."
Former Minister Galit Distal Atabrian recently reacted harshly to a decision by several reserve pilots not to attend training, in protest of the progress of the legal reform. She tweeted that these pilots were neither patriotic nor Zionist and even called them "freckles." How do you feel about this and the discourse about non-volunteering in general?
"The social situation and the protests affected the squadron, it was not clear if people would show up. Now it looks like something we dealt with a hundred years ago. On Saturday afternoon, all the reservists showed up here, including people who had returned especially from abroad. What was said was behind us. Everyone is here, everyone has carried out dozens of sorties and no one says he doesn't come because someone called him names. That's how the people of Israel are, we are united. The squadron has no left or right."
The Lebanon sector is also no stranger to Major A. "I go wherever they send me and the squadron has participated in all arenas," she dodges a direct answer, as she climbs into the navigator's seat in the cockpit. It explains about the instruments and means of vision and shows the stick from which the navigator fires, which is also intended to take control of the aircraft in case the pilot is hit.
Don't you feel a little lonely here? The computer hides the pilot from the front.
"It's a two-seat plane and we're a crew in every respect," she laughs. "There are single-seat planes where it feels lonely. The navigator communicates with the pilot and is responsible for armament, except for smart bombs that steer themselves. Once a navigator would really steer the plane, but today it's different and he operates sophisticated cameras and systems. The U.S. Air Force does not have a navigator, but operates weapons systems."
What does it feel like to release a bomb?
"Physically you feel like a slight jump in the plane. It is the responsibility and the check that the bomb reaches its destination that is important."
Maj. A.: "Compared to previous rounds, we are more aggressive. They erase everything that belongs to Hamas, while ensuring the evacuation of civilians. Attacking the terrorist organizations. I am pleased that these principles are being upheld, despite the shocking acts that Hamas has committed."
Major H., the squadron's technical officer, approaches A. The questions about the bombs amuse him. "We train all year round to be prepared for situations like this and work shifts around the clock," he says. "Our sequence of operations helps the Air Force maintain its superiority. Every plane is ready for the mission in the shortest possible time and in the safest way. We recruited quite a few reservists, who are a force multiplier with a lot of knowledge and experience. We're here to win."
"Talking about the family"
Three weeks after the war began, A. (30) still hasn't left home. She was discharged a year and a half ago, but since her release she has been coming to the squadron every week - like all reserve pilots - to train and maintain operational readiness. It now wanders around in an underground pen made of reinforced concrete, underneath which are the planes. All around are the planes' elongated gray fuel tanks, which look more like underwater torpedo shells. Next to them lie the plane's bombs, which weigh a ton.
Some are smart, GPS-guided and have tail fins, others are for general use and are guided to the target by the aircraft navigator. Near the ground crews' room are long, narrow heat-homing missiles designed for air-to-air combat. In the current war, they are used by the Air Force against explosive drones.
A member of the technical team approached A. and gave her a thick, rounded metal wire, to which a small black stopper was attached. "Take it, have a souvenir from yesterday morning," he says. A. does not hide her excitement at the sight of the item, which looks like a keychain that has gone wrong with production. A red blush colors the freckles on her nose and cheeks. "It's the stepping loop of a smart bomb," she explains. "After the bomb is released, that's what's left on the plane. This loop shows that everything is normal, because if it hadn't stayed under the wing, the bomb would have fallen."
Although she hardly sleeps, A. is alert and smiling. Her eyes look longingly at the planes that left the DCOs, driving on the runway for takeoff to Gaza with the deafening noise of their engines.
Before enlisting in the IDF, she was debating what to choose. "Medical school is a childhood dream, but also to be a pilot," she says. "I wasn't sure whether to go to reserve duty or pilot training, and even though my father is a fighter pilot, in the pilot course my first preference was actually helicopters, because with them there is more proximity to the ground. Today I love the world of battle and its missions.
"I joined the squadron in 2015 and as part of my duties I also served in the Kirya. I was in the air force control cell during the entanglement of the ground operation in Gaza in 2018, when the special force was exposed."
In the squadron she met her fiancé R., two years her junior.
Have you ever flown together?
"Spouses or siblings are not allowed to fly the same plane, and it's certainly not wise to reveal now that we once flew an F-16 together," she laughs. "It was at the very beginning of the relationship and no one knew yet, so they put us together."
"We got to fly together once." A. Vaharus, Capt. R., Photo: Arik Sultan
Since you're back on the same base, do you get to meet more?
"Our shifts aren't always in sync, so only occasionally do we sit together and talk about the flights, the feelings and the general situation in the country. Sometimes we talk about other things, to get some air, like the wedding and the family."
tala@israelhayom.co.il
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